Today took my youngest to college. Belmont University. They aren’t opening the dorms until September 7th. (maybe) So, another parent and I decide to get the two girls an apartment for the first 3 weeks so they can start their college experience. Get there and find out her roommates parents were scammed. No apartment.
Just like most of life in this world the last 6 months…excitement, heaviness, excitement, heaviness. The ones that are hurt the most are the freshmen and seniors. But my youngest has this amazing attitude.
So we found another apartment. Much like the sketchy places I lived in in college.
So tomorrow we move her in and she begins her college life.
Is it ever too late to start a new life?
The answer if of course…no….it’s never too late to start a new life.
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life” is true and yet I carry so much baggage into my new life. Why is that? EVERYTHING I’ve ever read or known or experienced tells me that it’s a good idea. YET, I do it. A lot!
Why is it so hard to drop the baggage of the past and look forward?
I think the answer is simple. Self preservation. The baggage serves as a sort of shield. I fear if I drop the bags, I will get hurt again. The bags are my super power.
The bag of abuse and of not being believed about my heart condition…those two bags made me strong. Actually, I would now argue…too strong. The bags protected me. They were my radar, head constantly on a swivel, protecting. And it worked. I learned to protect provide. At levels that aren’t healthy.
So now I want a new life. One that has balance. One that has trust, but not so much trust as to be used again. And yet the baggage weighs me down. They are like chains while trying to run.
I know it, yet I won’t drop the bags. Fear, protection, self preservation…all the same thing that say “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”. But who is carrying the bags? Is it twelve year old me (Brint) or 54 year old me (Chuck).
Talk to the one carrying the bags…time to rest…
Brint's Blog 