Hermits and their shells...

It seems that entirely too many of us are living stagnant lives trapped under the weight of old husks of past selves.  It would be ridiculous to discover a hermit crab who insisted on carrying every shell it ever lived in around on its back.  He would never get anywhere and the weight of all those old lives would eventually crush him.  Why do we insist on doing the exact same thing? Our baggage -- both mental and material -- weighs us down.  Yet we cling to old physical shells and tired worn-out stories retold endlessly to ourselves until the ruts they have left in our minds are so wide and deep that some disappear in them and never regain a real foothold in the world beyond again.  In order to grow we must release.  And in order to release we must trust.  Both ourselves and the inherent goodness of life and others.  We will take care of ourselves.  We will be taken care of. Life is good and we are worthy.  The trick then is to pluck up enough courage to slowly to set aside all of those old tired shells.  Once we do the beach is ours to explore.