Cross

 There is a saying, "Take up your cross daily."  It is a powerful wisdom saying and one used by Jesus in his spiritual path as an invitation to follow his Way.  This saying means that I must pick up my cross, not someone else's, and do it each day, a daily renewal of a commitment.  Now and again, I can take up someone else's cross in doing service work, being helpful to an overburdened or down and out person.  This keeps me from getting into trouble, or as I say, service keeps me from getting worse.  I have to put my own agenda aside.  But if I want to get better, grow, deepen a spiritual life, path, renewal, recovery, I need to take up "MY" cross.  I need to work on my negative stuff and renew that commitment daily.  A person who says, "I will never do that again!" will do it again and soon, if there is no daily plan of working on their shortcomings.  I can be a kinder person in taking up someone else's cross for a moment, but I will not be rid of whining, self-pity, judgmental thoughts, resentments, lust, gluttony, fear, and the whole bondage to self all of which are my cross, unless I face them daily.  That is a cross that waits for me to pick up each morning when I wake up.