Baggage Claim

Recently I got an email from someone who was giving me "credit" for doing them a great personal wrong.  Not only had I not done it, but I was unaware that it had even happened.    In the past, my first reaction would have been to apologize (even though I had nothing to do with it),  explain how I would never have done such a thing and then try to help them figure out why it happened.  I started composing a long sincere response -- and then I caught myself.  No.  I'm not going to do that anymore.    If this person knew me, knew me at all, they  would understand that that could not have come from me or at the very least would have asked, instead of accused, to find out the truth.

Here's the thing:   I have learned the art of  traveling  light.   When I first began this odyssey I had to discard things collected and treasured for years because,  moving from a home into an apartment, I knew I wouldn't have room to keep them. It was hard, but I had to let some things go knowing that  my life would be easier if I didn't have so much stuff.   This applies to personal challenges also.  People in our lives think that we don't have much to "carry" because of the way that we force ourselves to function no matter how we feel.  They don't see the effort and prayer (the blood, sweat and tears) that are put into making it through each day simply because we don't whine about it.  We make it look easy so they assume that it is, and periodically dump a load of their own baggage onto our backs.    They don't want any advice. They don't want us to help them weed through some of the garbage in their bags that make them too cumbersome to carry on their own. Oh no!  They just want to drop it on us in a pitiful game of  "Here. You throw this away."

If this is your experience this is what I think we should do and it begins with a proclamation:

NOW HEAR THIS!   The __________ (insert your name) Unclaimed Baggage Office is now closed.   Come get your hang-ups, relationship problems, money issues, job difficulties, misplaced anger, guilt, shame, and any names that you may have left behind for me to label myself with..  This office is no longer willing or able to schlep these items around for you.  Please see the new No DUMPING sign at the edge of the property, and note that any complaints must be typewritten in triplicate, notarized, and deposited directly into the orifice of your choice because my give a damn is broken and repairs are cost prohibitive.

It's not that I am insensitive to your needs. I care about you and want to hear everything you have to say about anything you want to talk about, but when it comes to your emotional baggage.........?

You don't have to take it home, but it can't stay here.

Thank you,
Management.