Letting Go

I read a story recently that got me thinking about what we can achieve when we get rid of negative energy and focus on the future. This story is probably hundreds of years old, yet completely applies to 2018!

Long ago, two monks were walking through the forest one morning when they came across a distressed young woman.

Tearfully, she asked them for help crossing the river, which had swollen from recent rains, so she could get home safely.

Although they had both taken strict vows to not communicate with the outside world, the first monk happily agreed, carrying the young woman across on his back.

She thanked him and left, and the two monks continued their journey for many hours in silence.

Finally, when night fell, they set up camp. But before they went to sleep, the second monk could not contain his emotions any more.

"How could you!" he burst out.

"We have taken strict vows of chastity! We vowed to never communicate with outsiders! But you carried that woman on your back!" he railed against his friend.

The first monk looked at his red face and simply said:

"My friend, I carried her for only a few minutes. You, however, have carried her all day!"

It makes you think - how long are you really prepared to ‘carry’ your past?

Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives. 

Three things I like to live by, "let go of the past so you can enjoy the present", "be grateful for what you have" and "love yourself and do what makes you feel good" 

until next time Carole x

Life coach and mindfulness master practitioner.