There is an ancient teaching story about two Buddhist monks walking along a river in silence. They’ve taken a vow of chastity which requires that they never speak to or ever touch a woman. As they were walking up the river, they came upon a woman who was desperately trying to get across the river because her child was on the other side. It’s a fast-flowing river and she is frightened to cross it by herself.
One of the monks walks over to her and offers his help. He picks her up and with the strength that he carries in his legs that walk mountains, valleys and streams, he carries her across the river, sets her down, comes back to join his fellow monk and they begin again to walk in silence.
A couple of hours later, the second monk says to the first, “I can’t believe you carried that woman across the river. I can’t believe you touched her. I can’t believe that you broke your vows…” The other monk simply looks at his companion and says, “I put the woman down two hours ago. You are still carrying her.” Consider what you’re still carrying that really isn’t happening anymore. Something that’s been over and done for some time now. Is it time to put it down? When we put that burden down, we now have our hands, our heart and our mind available for what’s here – what’s before us – what’s waiting for us, right now.
Put down what is no longer serving you
This simple act has the capability of actually moving us in the direction we have long wanted to go, whether we knew it or not. A simple act, but not necessarily easy. It’s your life, choose to live it in the present.
