He heard of this hill where one could leave their burdens. He made his way there to unload his burden. He labored up slowly, weighed down by uncertainty.
Alas, he got to the summit. In the distance, he saw others unloading their burdens before a shining light. He hurried up towards the light that got brighter. As he got closer, he realized that the light came from a tree and that the people were unloading their burdens at the the base of this mighty tree. Then it struck him – compared to the burdens most of those there had, his burden was a joke. His burden was almost minuscule. A deep shame came over him. He wanted to ran.
Then he heard a voice ask, “Can you help me get this down?”
He turned. The man facing him had the biggest burden he had ever seen. He helped him get it off his back and to the base of the tree. For the next hour, he helped several men and women get their burdens off. He felt exhausted but light.
Then he thought of his burden. He reached back. It was gone! He looked around him. He couldn’t see it anywhere but then it would be dwarfed by the others.
Then it hit him – in being immersed at helping others unload their burdens, he had lost his. He had unloaded his burden by helping others unload theirs.
He looked up at he tree. He could swear the Light smiled at him. He smiled back. As he made his way down the hill, he vowed to come up often to help others unload their burdens. He felt so whole when the Light smiled at him…..he sure did.