What baggage are you carrying?

There have been many hard things that have happened to me in my life, but one moment that stands out in my mind, happened almost 27 years ago. It was my very first visit with a counselor, about my abuse. He had just asked where our little girl was, and I mentioned that my parents were watching her. He then asked if they knew I was getting counseling?  My comment was " No, this is about me and my family, which only includes just Jeff, Amy and I" He then said something that I will never forget, he said "Lynn, when you are really ready to get rid of this baggage you are carrying, that does not belong to you, then let me know and we will meet again". At the time, I was so upset, I thought he didn't understand my situation, but I soon realized that he actually understood it better than I.
The truth was that I had been carrying baggage around for years that wasn't mine, I had become so used to carrying it,that I didn't even realize the damage it was doing to me, from bearing that type of weight (emotionally) for so many years. This quote reminded me of my situation. "We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it.  But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday's burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it."  ~John Newton

Now even 27 years later, I still have to work at checking what baggage I am carrying each day. I hope we will all check ourselves to see what baggage we are carrying each day. We need to remember the what the Savior said to each of us in Matthew 11:28-29, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."  We need to remember that the Savior helps us with our burdens, shares our load, but does not take them away from us. Please don't try to carry it all on your own! It's not necessary and it's too hard! Life is hard enough, without carrying extra baggage!

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When  you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."   ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress"  ~ Frederick Douglass