Excess Baggage

Most things I worry about
Never happen anyway
- Tom Petty "Crawling Back to You"


It's a bad habit we all seem to have from time to time - taking things far too personally.
Sometimes, of course, we are right and correct to acknowledge problems, feel stress, experience worry or have a host of other negative emotions.  However, many of us revel far too much in feelings of outrage or insult at things that we never even directed at us.  We like to play the victim and dream of exacting revenge for any slight no matter how minor.  In the news I read of a family in Michigan now charged with murder for shooting a security guard that was doing his job telling them they needed to wear protective masks as instructed by state government.  That man is dead (over a mask!) and those people will (hopefully) go to prison forever or be sentenced to death for his murder.

Even if it doesn't lead to violence or murder, we all have plenty of legitimate issues to contend with, especially now.  We are living through a tough time that can only be assuaged by common sense, calm, methodical thoughts and actions.  Panic can literally cost lives, or at the very least make the job of some front line worker harder than it already is - harder than it needed to be.  We all need to make sure we are not hammers looking around for nails.  The world has far too many "social justice warriors" already.

It is right to feel empathy for others, especially now.  However, this does not entitle us to pick up their battles unnecessarily.  As I wrote before, each of us has his/her own journey and we all must fulfill that which is destined for us.  I mine and you yours.  Your positive support and encouragement is not only welcome but necessary - your outrage on my behalf is not.  With your help I'll fight my own battles and prevail.  I promise to help you in your struggles, too.  We all need to focus on fixing ourselves FIRST.  You can't take care of someone else when you're struggling to take care of yourself.

We move so much faster when our burden is lessened.  Don't carry anything you don't absolutely have to.  The journey is long and best traveled light.  Ditch the excess baggage and keep trying hard not to pick up anything that isn't yours.

Keep Moving.