A Heavy Backpack

I heard a story today about a woman who carried a backpack full of rock. I had never heard the story before, so I was intrigued. Each rock represented a person she was angry with or a problem she had no control over in her life. The woman carried this backpack around for years until she was so tired she couldn’t move another step.

One day, she was taking a walk and she sat by the side of the road, opened the zipper to her backpack and took out a rock and spoke to it. “I’m tired of being angry with you for what you did so many years ago. I forgive you.”

At that point, the woman set the rock on the side of the road and continued down the road. A short time later, she sat down again, so tired from carrying her heavy burden. She removed another rock and said: “I finally realize that there is nothing I can do to change this bad situation in my life, so I’m accepting the situation and will deal with it as best I can.”

She placed the rock on the side of the road and continued her journey. Her load was beginning to lighten. Her steps became easier. As she continued on her way, she began to stop more frequently, took a rock out of her backpack, spoke to it, and then set it down.

Eventually, all her rocks were gone. She began to laugh and sing and dance. She felt so happy and free now that she’d forgiven all those who had hurt her in the past and accepted all the things in life she couldn’t change.

Then I realized I had heard this story before. It’s the Serenity Prayer.

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.”

How many rocks are you carrying in your backpack today?