When you pack your bags for a trip, say a vacation, there are certain items that don’t make the cut. Perhaps you’re going on a 10-day beach trip to relax or a long weekend in the mountains to meet up with family+friends. Go along with me here.. when we take short trips, our luggage can only be so heavy. You’re not going to bring a coat to the beach, and maybe only one pair of winter boots fit for the weekend. Well when we take longer trips, our baggage can only be so heavy too.. right?
That’s what I thought. That’s what most people think. Yes, we may only have 40(ish) lbs and a couple suitcases but why do we act as though this applies to our mentalities too? As if our 40lb. luggage limit at the airport holds some sort of scale for the mental baggage we can bring; for our emotional junk we’d rather not lug with our person for the duration of our adventure.
As if to say “not all twelve pairs of earrings will fit” equates to “not every piece of good advice from my mentors needs to make this trip with me.” Or “I only have room for two pairs of pants” equates to “I only have room for two feelings: excited and happy.” We all do this subconsciously, and can sometimes with smaller adventures. But uprooting my life to live and work in ministry for a year has proven quite the opposite.
I’m finding, in fact, that my physical backpacks are much easier to carry than the baggage I’m sorting through daily. I’ve been digging past the sandy beaches, diving into oceans of grace, to show other people my murky moss and heavy rocks dwelling in the depths. Letting people in to the full mess isn’t something I’ve done well before, except with my closest friends. Right now, I’m grateful for opportunities and helping hands to bring my own baggage to the surface.
On the surface, there’s more light. Period. For me, this means I’ve been reading and writing a lot lately about eating disorders and everything that comes with having healed from one. It means walking out and talking out of vulnerability, not secrets. It means accountability and empowerment. It means I may actually start sharing writing from the vantage point of healed.
What could you bring to the surface? How can you invite someone to sit with you while you dig up the mucky? There’s time and there’s grace. You’re not alone.
With love and an open heart,
Shelby B Sly??
PS I am still fundraising to stay on the field past this month. A little less than $5,000 left to go! To donate: https://shelbysly.theworldrace.org/, PayPal: shelbybsly, and also hit subscribe to this here blog??
