It is important that we deal with our burdens as they arise because they can become far to heavy for us to carry if we leave them to grow. We must however remember that our burdens are our responsibility and we cannot expect to hand them over to others to carry for us.  There is also a need to realise, we cannot carry another's burden, we can support, help but not carry.  If we carried everyone else's burdens we would soon be weighed down and unable to be of service.  You are responsible only for you. You  are responsible to others not for them.  Support and Help when needed but walk gently with harmlessness.

THE RIGHT CROWN PRINCE 

A folktale tells of a monarch long ago who had twin sons. There was some
confusion about which one was born first. As they grew to young manhood,
the king sought a fair way to designate one of them as crown prince.

Calling them to his council chamber one day, he said, "My sons, the day
will come when one of you must succeed me as king. The burdens of
sovereignty are very heavy. To find out which of you is better able to bear
them cheerfully, I am sending you together to a far corner of the kingdom.
One of my advisors there will place equal burdens on your shoulders. My
crown will one day go to the one who first returns bearing his burden like
a king should."

In a spirit of friendly competition, the brothers set out together. Soon
they overtook a frail and aged woman struggling under a heavy weight. One
of the boys suggested that they stop to help her. The other protested: "We
have a burden of our own to worry about. Let us be on our way."

So the second son hurried on while the other stayed behind to help the
woman with her load. On his journey to the kingdom's edge, the same young
man found others who needed help. A sightless man who needed assistance
home; a lost child whom he carried back to her worried parents; a farmer
whose wagon needed a strong shoulder to push it out of the mud.

Eventually he did reach his father's advisor, where he secured his own
burden and started home with it safely on his shoulders. When he arrived
back at the palace, his brother met him at the gate and greeted him with
dismay. "I don't understand," the brother said, "I told Father the burden
was too heavy to carry. How did you manage it alone?"

The future king replied thoughtfully, "I suppose when I helped others carry
their burdens, I found the strength to carry my own."

When we find others who need help with their burdens, we also find the
strength to carry our own!


The Right Crown Prince story was sent to me by my dear Canadian friend Sylvia Naidu.