Mile five.
Elevation 6,400 ft.
After, 1000 foot elevation change it’s here that I look up and see her struggle. Her backpack is at least thirty pounds heavier than mine. I guess the reason I didn’t notice before is, at the beginning of this journey our burdens seemed light. As our adventure pressed on, I started to feel the weight of my own backpack beginning to take toll on me.
I am untrained, especially when it comes to this kind of terrain, and I wish I had done more research.
I wish I had been a better expedition leader.
I wish that I had known to disburse our burdens instead of carrying our loads separate. Then we could have shared the weight.
As another elevation change comes into view, I see her knees begin to buckle. I struggle with the idea if I should ask to help her? Would she be offended? Would I be able to bear more weight? As she is laboring upward, she steps on a loose stone and suddenly her balance is thrown. Due to the awkwardness and heaviness of her backpack, she begins to topple sideways towards a cliff edge. Luckily, I am not far behind her, and I am able to reach out and steady her, bringing her back to stability.
How often in life do we see other people struggle or insist on carrying our own debilitating baggage, when all we have to do is share the burden? Instead, we live in fear of hurting people’s feelings or damaging our own pride, and meanwhile put others and ourselves at risk. What if we shared the burden? How can we help lighten another’s load? It can be as simple as lending a free and nonjudgmental ear over a cup of tea or letting someone have your seat on a crowded bus. Will we stand by and watch another struggle because of our pride, laziness, or selfishness? Will we become oblivious and overlook a loved one, a stranger, a friend as they topple?
When all we have to do is share the burden.
So, split the weight. You would be surprised how easy the journey becomes.