Lighten Up!

Once two men were walking down the road.

Says one man to the other man....

"I really like the short version of the serenity prayer"

"The short version?" asks the second man.

"Yes"

replies the first,

"Lighten Up"

It has occurred to me 

that most of us need to lighten up

we are walking around with 

80lb backpacks

full of stuff we need to release

and leave by the side of the trail

In the morning I have taken to practicing what like call "listening prayer"

some would probably call it meditation.

But I sit in silence

and breathe

and focus on the mountain

or the trees

I always pick a gift of the Sacred

This morning it is the first lilacs of the season (for us)

which this year are white blossoms on a bush

that has never bloomed before

I sit in silence

and as a thought intrudes

I just say "thinking"

and gently let go of the thought

and return to my point of focus

by the end of my time

my mind is filled with far fewer things

so few of those "heavy" thoughts return

today my prayer is 

that we all lighten up!