Although I have not been tangled up in sin as of late (thank You, Jesus!), I have been carrying a lot lately, including unbearable grief and loss. And the weight of it all is beyond heavy; I’m not going to pretend that it isn’t. But rather than do something that would have allowed me to get to the top a little easier, I chose the more difficult way. And I continued throughout my normal day-to-day routine once I got to work.
That’s what we do, isn’t it? We carry all kinds of loads and still get through the day. That “Strong Black Woman” theme is both a blessing and a curse. It causes us to miss out on the wisdom that should accompany that strength.
How about the next time you have too much to carry, you simply let some things go? Whether it means lightening your schedule because you know you can’t make it to ten meetings in a day AND pick up the kids AND make it to the grocery store AND cook. Or maybe you need to reprioritize what is really important today and just focus on that. Or maybe you simply need to just slow down and be still for just a little while. Or maybe, like me, you just need to put some stuff down and choose not to carry it.
Sister, you are strong, but you are also human. Let’s quit making things harder than they need to be. Life can be hard as it is, why add to it? I decided today that I am only carrying what I need to carry at any given moment, nothing more. And if I still have a day when it really is too heavy—I’ll choose to take the elevator.
The Manna Chef 