She Ain’t Heavy, She’s my SisterI call it emotional vampirism. Many of us have friends/family who can in one sentence literally suck the life right out of you. 

Sometimes they don’t even have to speak a word. 

Therefore you physically/mentally distance yourself from those who may need you most. Guilty on all counts.  

Readings for today bring my feet back to the earth and my knees to the floor. 

What would it feel like to experience that true weightlessness of not shouldering others’ burdens? I have absolutely no idea. 

So now today I read an interpretation of Galatians 6:2 that steers me toward instead of against that flow. Saint Paul the Original Social Empath. He actually encourages us to carry each other. 

He goes on to imply that we can and must do this because Christ carries us. Through grace. 

A social empath like me doesn’t know what it is like to be free from worrying about others. I feel like I’m never free of that burden. Even when I distance myself. But here the caveat. I should embrace that task. That burden. And what’s more…NOT consider it a burden anymore. 

I should consider it a privilege the reading stated. And realize that I can continue under the weight without breaking because His grace gives me enough strength to endure it. 

This isn’t a one way street either. Oh! How many times have I been carried by one of you? 

Thank you for your grace. Moving forward…I’ll try to do better in the return. 

Unburdenedly yours, 

Nadine Bodine

Your VERY Best friend in the whole wide world