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He's Not Heavy – He's My Brother
I haven’t heard that song in donkey’s years…but as I began writing this post it kept popping into my head and wouldn’t go away…you know how that is. So I stayed with it. I don’t know if Elton knew this or not, but by George he’s got it!
The first time I visited Washington D.C, many years ago, I was struck by the number of people asking me for money. I didn’t know if this was peculiar to this city in particular, or big cities in general. But I gave a dollar to everyone who asked.
At the end of day one, I’d given away twenty dollars. Day two similar, maybe a little more. Day three same. Day four…yes it took me that long to wake up and I said to myself “now wait just a blooming minute, there’s something wrong with this picture.”
I knew better. This wasn’t the way to help, to support, to love…not in the long run anyway. It wasn’t about giving money…what was I giving of myself was the question.
I could give money from now until kingdom come, and it wouldn’t be giving of myself. The only way to truly make a difference is to imagine something better, something greater for another, and as I believed in my imaginal act it could then be said I was lifting his burden.
It’s my imagination that’s creating my reality and what its made it can unmake, at least in my little world, in my little sphere of existence.
This is the way of joy…don’t wait to be asked, simply go about your business and as you meet someone in need, lift his burden by seeing him happy, prosperous, contented. And then do it for another and then another. It doesn’t take two ticks. Just a brief imaginal experience will do.
Should a friend tell you of some challenges he’s having. Go home and imagine the outcome he’d desire. See him being happy and smiling and telling you an entirely different tale, a story with a happy ending.
This is how we give of ourselves, how we support and love others by helping with their burdens. Don’t limit them, or keep them in their current state by accepting it to be true, because you also limit yourself in this way. We raise one another up by imagining something wonderful and we are giving the gift of liberty. You and he are one, and what we do for another we do for ourselves. Be kind.
Encourage one another.
Love Elle.
