"When we lift someone else's load, we add color not only to our lives but to the lives of others as well.” ―Emilie Barnes
Have you ever thought of color when you think of helping lift someone else's load? Emile Barnes was a huge inspiration to me when I was raising my twins and caring for our home. Even to this day, I think of the inspirational thoughts in her books that taught me the beauty of seeing my home as a canvas, creating an atmosphere that brought joy to my family and also to everyone that came to my door.
Just about every single person that lives in our world has burdens that they need help carrying at times. How can we add color by bending down inside someone else's pain?
Let's unload that!
A load is burdensome and bleak. Basically, absent of color. Here are several ways you can start today adding color into someone else's life.
Bending Down | Yup, literally bending down.
When someone is carrying a load of burdens, it is heavy and daunting. The best thing you can do to lighten that burden is to bend down and pick it up. Immediately you relieve the burden, allowing your friend to stand back up. Free of the weight because you made the decision to lighten their load.
Being a story listener | Not a storyteller, just listening.
Listening is vital in adding color into someone else's life. Everyone wants to be heard. Telling our stories is a powerful place of acceptance. By listening you give validity to someone's pain. You send a message of care and concern. You actually are offering to carry even more weight by now hearing the load and showing acceptance towards the story being told. Not taking on the burden, simply being a story listener—a powerful place to be!
Going the distance | Making the commitment to see it through.
Have you ever had someone hear your "stuff," then you never hear from them again? You are left feeling pretty down and regretful for sharing. To add color into someone else's life, we must go the distance with them. It's an investment and commitment to see it through. We can't take on everyone's load or we would then be loaded down ourselves and depleted of color. Right? Prepare yourself for this commitment. If you know you can't Bend Down, Listen and Go The Distance, then be kind enough to wait until you truly are available.
A smile is the essence of watching color come back into someone else's life. Once we have bent down, listened and gone the distance, we see the miracle of happiness explode. It's a beautiful picture of love and hope.
I leave you with a challenge. Try adding color into someone else's life this week. Bend down inside their pain and lift the heaviness. Offer to listen to their story. Above all, go the distance with a commitment to see them through towards a lightened load. Incredibly you will see that color has been added to your life too.
