47. Whose Load …?

Recalling a Japanese wisdom made me take note that too often we internalise and carry not only our own load, but other people’s too. Two monks whilst travelling, came across a lady in distress. She stood by a stream in her finery, wondering how to get across without ruining her attire. So, the older monk carried her across the stream and leaving her on the other side, they went on their way. By the end of the day, the younger monk spoke of his displeasure of the first monk’s earlier action. This made the first monk laugh and say, ‘I left her by the bank once we crossed, but you are still carrying her’.

In my estimation, most of us are like the younger monk! Our view of the world is formulated from childhood through family influences, cultural and societal indoctrination and now social media. If we want to be free and create an original idea and thought, we would first have to drop away the prejudices that have become ingrained in us. Doesn’t this feel a little daunting? Perhaps by spending time every day in a practice of questioning our thoughts and beliefs, we could shed prejudices we have absorbed that no longer serve us.

I have learnt that we cannot help anyone when we try to lighten their load by taking it on ourselves. All this does is makes two people miserable rather than reducing it. The only way to help anyone is by remaining in a high emotional state of our own. Spreading laughter and joy makes it easier to influence others to feel gratitude for all the little blessings that life brings to us.