Lightening Your Load

Suppose you decide to hike up a mountain trail.

Before you embark on your journey, you load your backpack with rocks. You plan to use these rocks to build a sturdy shelter once you reach the top of the mountain.

Halfway up, you are feeling exhausted. You decide to load some more rocks into your backpack. After all, if you’re this tired already, you are really going to need a top-notch shelter to recuperate once you get to the peak.

You continue your journey.

When you’re starting the final leg to the top, you’re so tired you can’t even see straight. So you load up some more rocks, because–given how bone-tired you are–you’re going to need an even better shelter than you thought, something to really protect you from the elements while you enjoy a much-needed night of sleep at the peak.

Are you ever going to make it to the top of the mountain with a backpack full of rocks? Maybe. Maybe not.

But imagine how good it would feel to simply stop wherever you are on your journey and dump out all those rocks.

Maybe you reach the mountaintop and find enough stones available on the spot to make your shelter. Or maybe you decide to just head back down the mountain without reaching the very highest peak.

Either way, it must be a relief to continue your way without a backpack full of rocks weighing you down.