We have eight dining room chairs and so I started moving those upstairs, one at a time, holding the chairs chest high and away from my body and telling myself this would help the fat on my back. I packed up china, and table linens, crystal and decorative items. My mind saw my hands reach into and out of boxes from 2014 - the items that had to be moved, the items that should be given away, the items I touched without looking.
After the twentieth trip upstairs, I just sat on the top stair and stared. I'm always going to be packing and unpacking - packing away dreams we had and unpacking memories to treasure or strength for the day. I wish the metaphorical work could have an impact on back fat like the physical work - just saying.
When I sit or I just step to the side while the whir of the raging world passes, I am left in the wake of the energy we expend to be normal. I've had a plethora of thoughts about the energy we in humanity expend, and I can't say that there's one that really worth sharing. Seems like we use words to just continue to hurt, to polarize, to persecute and regardless of our affiliations, we are all equally self-righteous. Even in writing this, I am included.
The world asks a great deal of each of us doesn't it? Sometimes it screams to pack up our baggage and deal, while other days its fickle voice pleads with us to unpack our stories and be vulnerable. When we fail it or it fails us, our vulnerability evolves into anger. Then, often times in our fury, we become the epitome of the very character we abhor.
I know that madness.
I know the energy I expend to run from it, to bury it, to deny its existence, to succumb to its rage. Regardless, I am still left packing and unpacking - memories, treasures, sadness, brokenness, happiness, joy, love - packing away new words of wisdom or unpacking timeless scripture hidden in my heart - always working on the fat on my back.
The world asks a great deal of each of us doesn't it?
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
#golighttheworld