The Wheelbarrow Incident
A wheelbarrow filled with wet concrete sat in the carport waiting for my dad and uncles to use it for the new fireplace and outdoor grill they were crafting. I watched them effortlessly haul things around in the wheelbarrow and thought how fun it must be to move things around that way. For some reason, they all went inside to inspect their friend Soot’s progress, and I seized the opportunity to “get a turn” playing with the wheelbarrow.
It was not my best idea.
Upon lifting the handles, the weight of the contents on the single wheel immediately tipped over spilling wet concrete all over the ground. I believe what came next were some loud exclamations from the men and tears from me.
I hadn’t thought about the wheelbarrow incident for a long time. I think I was 9 years old when it happened.
During the last couple weeks my emotional wheelbarrow has gotten too heavy for me to move safely by myself. One wrong move means it’s tipping over and making a mess for people who weren’t even around (except maybe adding the water and stirring) to have to clean up.
Angels are aware that we are all walking around with full wheelbarrows, and they are gently reminding us to ask them for help.
What would help from an angel even look like?
The word that comes to mind is “unburdening” - that moment when something you’ve been dreading having to do is cleared from your plate.
Ask the angels with gratitude and expect the miracles to come your way, realizing they have a higher perspective than you do. If you get stuck on the answer to your problems only having one solution, that you insist that YOUR WAY is the only way, you are limiting the miracles that can come to you.
Sometimes in life our wheelbarrows get full, and our loads are too heavy to safely move about without dumping the entire contents out for someone else to clean up. If you’re feeling that way, it’s okay to take a pause and do nothing.
My wheelbarrow is currently filled with uncertainty, grief, pressure of expectations (self-imposed as much as anything), and concern. Most of the things making up the concrete in my wheelbarrow are things nobody has any control over. Some of this I just need to “feel and release”. It’s not particularly comfortable but ignoring it or pushing it down is not an option – that's the equivalent of the 9-year-old me lifting it up and spilling the contents. The result would be a lot of hurt to unassuming people in my orbit. Nearly 5 decades later, I have learned that I don’t care to do that to others (or embarrass myself with my loss of control). So, I get quiet, say lots of prayers, do lots of meditations, and notice that the miracles are coming my way. Angels on earth are volunteering to take things off my plate that I never thought to request of them. As a result, I feel my load getting lighter.
Peace and miracles be with you!
