Still carrying it?

I have been too busy to blog since about a quarter now.. and though there have been many things I'd wanted to write, haven't really been able to find some time to do it..

But, as we enter the new year-- here's a small lesson from daily life (based on a zen story) that I want to share which can help others..

Two monks were traveling when they came across a river that has to be crossed by walking / swimming across. They meet a woman who requested if one of them could carry her across. Being a monk, one of them hesitated, while the other took her on his shoulders and got her across the river. She thanked the monk and they went their ways.

After a while, when both the monks were walking together, the monk who hesitated couldn't hold himself from asking - "How could you, being a monk, who took vows to avoid contact with a woman do such a thing - that you carried a woman on your shoulders?"

The second monk replied - "Brother, I carried her only till the other side of the river, but you are still carrying her."

Well, for me, this year's kinda started with a similar thought process backed by some action - to let go off all those things which have been haunting my mind. Maybe those things / people aren't around, but they've been taking up a lot of mind-space and keep bothering every now and then - the worst part - they do no good! Sayonara to all of 'em.. Wish everyone a lot of new beginnings.. and happy future..

You may also want to read: Let go!