How can a garbage bag and can be a teacher? It all started with the numerous snowfalls we have had in my area. The snow would slide off the tin roof and deposit small to larger piles around my home. Normally these piles of snow do not cause any problems.
However, when it came time to pull the garbage bag out to place my trash in it for pick up, it was frozen to the bottom of the can. A nice pile of snow had formed around the garbage can from the sliding snow off the tin roof. No problemo…I just got another garbage bag out of my stash and used that.
This continued for a couple of weeks with no signs of the bag becoming unstuck. Then it occurred to me to move the garbage can to a sunny area in hopes it would unfreeze the bag. No luck here since now the garbage can was stuck in frozen snow!
I tried to dislodge the garbage can and realized it was securely stuck. I realized how tired I had become from trying to do this and I then felt a nudge to let it be. My intuition was telling me just be patient. I was sensing there would be an easier way of dealing with this.
I then came to realize that this situation was a metaphor for what I was personally going through. I was working on letting go of old thinking and beliefs. I now could see how a garbage bag and can could be the perfect symbol for that. I knew the message was to be patient. An easier way would be presented and to trust in that.
The solution came in one quick intuitive flash as I was parking my car. In the rear view mirror, I could see the garbage can. What I did (through that flash) was to continue driving slowly backward until I nudged the garbage can out of its frozen place. I then heard a small popping noise and the garbage can was released and free again undamaged.
Amazingly, it was like something inside of me did the same thing…pop then release. Strange as it may seem, I felt a peacefulness come over me. I embraced that feeling and said thank you for how the solution came about in such an effortless way.
It was now possible to move the garbage can into a sunny spot and by the end of the day, I was able to pull the garbage bag out of the can. One thing did surprise me. It was the huge chunks of ice that clung to the bottom of the bag. I felt those chunks represented fears within me that kept me weighted down. With some shakes, the chunks fell off and now could easily be melted by the sun. As I watched the smaller chunks melt away, it felt like my fears were melting away too. All of this brought on such a relief and a feeling of lightness.
What did I learn from the garbage bag and can teacher? To trust my intuition, be patient, and there is no need to exert more energy than what is needed. A better way of dealing with things…be it big or small…will present itself. Also, to remember that the most average things can be an avenue for learning even if it is a garbage bag and can.
Love, light, peace, and happy trails!
Patricia
p.s. I also want to note that ever-so-sweetly cooing pigeons spent time on top of the frozen garbage can (which hadn’t occurred before). That melodic sound gave me the feeling of peacefulness as I patiently waited for a solution to be known to me.
