Burdened

Today's moment for meditation from Columbia St. Mary's:

A professor was giving a lecture on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" After many answers, he replied, "It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is okay. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance. It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later we will not be able to carry on. They will become so heavy. What we have to do is put the glass down and rest for a while before picking it up again so that we are refreshed. Whatever burdens you have on your shoulders right now, put them down for a moment if you can. Pick them up again when you have rested.

Is there truth to this meditation? Yes. I think this is about our inner lives, how I create suffering for myself as I hold onto what needs to be let go, released to the earth to be taken into Creation and reborn into new life.

But it is also a privilege to be able to put down your burdens for a while. The question I keep asking myself is: what about those who are not allowed to forget? People of color are never allowed to forget about racism. People who are poor are never allowed to forget about poverty. People with diabilities are never allowed to forget ableism. In these cases it is a function of privilege to be able to rest for a while.

An ally is willing to think about racism and white supremacy as much as people of color have to. An ally is willing to think about poverty as much as people in poverty have to. An ally doesn't take breaks because the oppressed can't.

But can the oppressed put down their burdens too? I think sometimes, in the right environment. We glimpse into what it feels like to breathe and realize we haven't been breathing.

How can I breathe, be who I am, when there is racism all around me?
How do I be a genuine ally to those whose oppression suffocates?
When am I the oppressor?