As we begin a new month, I share with you some thoughts I have about releasing the past so we can move forward...baggage free. Recently a Zen story I first heard years ago from an amazing woman, Mary A. Tumpkin, my #foreverspiritualteacher, came to mind. Two monks were walking and came to a river where they saw a terrified young woman, afraid to cross. The older monk picked her up and carried her safely across. Since touching a woman was forbidden in their Order, this bothered the younger monk, and hours later he scolded the older monk. The older monk replied, "I put her down hours ago but you are still carrying her." I know I don't need to explain the moral of this story, so I'll just remind myself and you, to put down whatever baggage we may be dragging into today, so that we can move easily into our tomorrows! My home country celebrates Emancipation Day today, and I'm sure they'll be singing the famous Marley lyrics, "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds...". We can all sing along! Namaste, my friends!