Lighten Up

A ​traveler trudged along a mountain path, his back bent beneath the weight of an enormous bundle. Strapped to him were blankets, pots, books, and trinkets from places he barely remembered. His steps were slow, his breath heavy. 

At the foot of the mountain, an old man sat beneath a cypress tree, watching the traveler’s struggle. "Where are you headed?" the old man asked. "To the monastery at the peak," the traveler replied, shifting his load. "I seek wisdom."

The old man nodded. "A noble journey. But tell me, why carry all this?" 

The traveler wiped his brow. "These are important things—things I may need." 

The old man simply smiled and gestured to the path ahead. The traveler sighed and continued. The path grew steeper, the air thinner. Each step drained him. Soon, his shoulders ached. His knees trembled. The straps cut into his skin. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he dropped a pot by the side of the road. Then a book. Then a blanket. 

By the time he reached the halfway point, he had shed nearly everything. His body, once burdened, now moved with ease. The wind felt crisper, the sky wider. 

As he approached the peak, he found the old man already sitting there, waiting beneath another cypress tree. The traveler gasped. "How did you⁠—?" 

The old man only smiled, then stood up and began walking toward a path that led further upward—one the traveler hadn’t noticed before. The traveler—exhausted from his journey—sat down to rest. As he was resting, he looked back down the mountain. Far below, another figure struggled up the path, back bent beneath an enormous bundle.

- A Cup of Zen by Kai Tsukimi

***

When I read the story this morning, it made me chuckle. On my way to the Camino carrying a backpack and a day pack, the story seemed very appropriate in many different ways. 

Physically, I have struggled to make my backpack as light as possible.  I realize there are still things that I need to discard. I will take a better look once I arrive in Pamplona and can unload and reload it.

Emotionally and mentally I realize I have many things I can discard on this journey. And that actually is the reason for this particular Journey and this particular Camino.

Stay tuned

Love,

Annie