Follow Ol' Rafiki, He Knows The Way

When my oldest son was about 18 months old, we took him to his first movie, “The Lion King”.  Of course, as a toddler, he didn’t sit still but for 10-15 minutes into the movie, however, it must have made an impression because it became his favorite movie.  We purchased the video tape (yeah, it was that long ago!) and probably watched that thing every day for YEARS!  I can still recite huge chunks of that movie and I know that because from time to time, he’ll still watch it!  One time we were watching it and there is one scene that is the turning point of the plot, where Rafiki, the wise-old monkey hits Simba over the head.  Simba asks him, “Whatdja do that for?!” and Rafiki says, “It doesn’t matter it’s in the past!”  Here, take a look yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZfGTL2PY3E

Like Simba, I was hit over the head with the message that my past can still hurt if I keep running from it, instead of learning from it.  You know what I’m talking about, those old festering wounds of rejection, unkind words, abuses, curses, offenses etc.  I rationalized to myself, “I have every right to feel the way do!”  And that’s true, nobody can dispute that.  But what good was it doing me? That hurt was doing nothing for me except holding me captive.  In Simba’s case, his perspective of the past kept him from his true destiny and identity as king.

 So I ask myself (and I ask you to do the same), what destiny is being unfulfilled by me holding on to the offenses of the past?  I am a unique, creative individual and what I have to offer cannot be fulfilled by anyone else.  If I am not fulfilling my destiny, my unique part is not being released into this world and so I am then, giving much more power to the circumstance or the person who offended me in the first place and that person or circumstance is in no way, shape or form deserves that! 

And so here is our assignment today:  Take a big breath, then say out loud, “I release the power that (a circumstance, individual, unkind word, abuse, curse, offense, whatever) has over me!   And now I am one step closer to my destiny” and then exhale and “shoo” that unwanted thing AWAY!  Start small if you must and then from day to day “shoo away” bigger offenses.  And by the way, when new offenses come, do not pick them up.  Just “shoo” them away from the get go, they don’t deserve being in your life!”

Please feel free to post your experience as a comment.  I’m sure a lot of us will learn and be encouraged from your successes. 

-Tessa L. Charles