A little story I wrote, called The Backpack: Imagine that when you are born, you're given a backpack, and a little satchel to wear around your neck against your heart. As you grow, some people say or do things that hurt you, even if their intentions were good and they just didn't know any better, and even if they meant it because they themselves are damaged people. Each time this happens, they put a rock in your backpack. Also as you grow, some people give you a flower. A kind word, a hug, a laugh. They put that in your satchel. You have moments when you love yourself, too, and you put a little flower in there yourself. Over time these flowers dry and combine to make a lovely little potpourri that smells divine. One day you realize that you can't even smell the satchel anymore because you are so distracted by carrying this heavy backpack full of rocks. You carry it and you ache, you can't climb as high, you can't run as fast, you can't do anything without that pain from carrying it affecting what you think, say, and do. Then one day, you realize you can simply take the backpack off and put it down. The satchel is so light you don't have to take it off. Now you can live in the fragrance of all the good and leave the not-so-good behind. You don't even have to open it. You just leave it there. You just leave it in an alley and walk away from it. And since you no longer have a backpack, there's no where for the rocks to go. Thank the person who showed you that you can take off the backpack. Maybe it was you <3 - Love, Nina follow me for more @powerfullwithninashyne