“Take my burden!”

The young girl cried to the sea

“For it is heavy, too heavy for me.

But I know it is mine

I have carried it

And dragged it and now,

On this shore

I can move it no more.

All that I am

And all that I’ve done

Is in this load

I can no longer tow.

Its weight outweighs me

And I need to be

Free of its aches and pains and chains.

I am ready to let go

To loosen my grip

Just as these grains of sand

Slip through my fingers

So worn and sore from the pain of it

All my decisions

And choices and chances

And dances with darkness

I have in a bundle

On this shifting shore.”

“Give it up!” cry the waves,

“Your tears are enough

Just walk away and leave it with us.

We will take it and roll it and bury it

No! Don’t pick it up!

It is no longer yours.

This ocean forgets

And it washes so clean

It washes away footprints

You’ll forget where you’ve been.

And even this spot

Believe it or not

Won’t be here

Should you ever feel the need

To find it

To remind it

That this bundle was yours.

It will be gone

That’s what we do

We bury those bundles

Instead of you.

Now stand up

And start to move.

Just don’t look back,

But if you do

That bundle will be deep

Down in the depths of the blue

Sea of forgetting

And you

Will run

Light and unrelenting

Burden less

Free

Forgiven

And fearless”

Said the girl to the sea,

“I will.”

Linda Johnson

Goa