Burdens: Put The Glass Down

I read this story today, which is all over the internet, and wanted to share it on my blog, only because I just told my husband something similar yesterday about carrying children in your arms. 

It doesn't matter how much they weigh initially, after awhile ten pounds may feel like twenty and your arms start feeling tired from the strain ... you have to put the child down or shift the weight to continue carrying it. 

Life is a wonderful teacher with these examples. It tells us that it will only carry our burden so far and then it will have to put us down in order for us to either stand on our own or it will have to shift the weight until it can regain the strength to continue. 

Stress is the same: when things become a burden, put it down, or away, for awhile. 

Here's the story for those who haven't seen it:

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience.

As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question.

Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired

“How heavy is this glass of water?”

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter.

It depends on how long I hold it.

If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem.

If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm.

If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed.

In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water.

Think about them for a while and nothing happens.

Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt.

And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”

It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses, upsets and anything that doesn’t feel good to you as early as you can.

Put all your burdens down.

Don’t carry them throughout your day or even an hour or more than the few moments it takes to notice that you are feeling in a way you don’t want.

Remember to put the glass down!