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Gold Pen

Close you eyes and breathe deeply. Now imagine you have won a holiday. Your dream holiday. The total package. First class flights, limousine at airport, penthouse at the best resort in town, finest restaurants, every imaginable extra. There is even free spending money. But there is one condition. You can only take two bags. One is for your clothes. The other is for your troubles and worries. Do you still want to go? Of course you do!

So lets go pack those bags. Few clothes and toiletries, spare pair of footwear, clean underwear of course. All into bag number one. And if you forget anything, well, you can just buy it there.
Now for the other bag. Put into it those things that weigh you down. All those problems, hassles, worries, anxieties and fears that you currently have. Neatly fold them all up and put them into the second bag. Close your second bag. So much bigger and heavier than your first bag.

Now grab your passport, take your two bags and head for the airport. In your limousine of course. And at the airport, go through first class check in and straight to your plane. Begin your flight and when ready, land at your holiday destination. Head for the baggage carousel to collect your bags. Here you are asked to identify your luggage. You point out and collect your bags of clothes. But where is your second bag? Your bag of worries. You look but do not see it. You know if you do not have this second bag you won’t be allowed on this holiday. You show your luggage check in stubs to the attendant. Ah I see, he says. One of your bags came up in the x-rays as confiscated goods. Thus we are holding it, and with your permission, we will send it to the Island of Solutions, until you are ready to collect it on your departure. This will not affect the terms of your holiday. Sounds good to you so you agree.

And so you leave with one bag for your holiday. Your dream holiday, totally care and worry free. No concerns at all. Your only responsibility is to enjoy it to the fullest. So make the most of your time here. Relax. Unwind. Do whatever. Live the good life now, in whatever it is you wish. Imagine your wildest dreams and make it even better. Make it your perfect holiday. Soak those feelings of happiness and joy, peace and contentment, gladness at being alive into every cell in your body. Be your dream holiday! Enjoy it to the max. But things end. And now it is time to go home. But not with sadness as you’ve had the best time, the best holiday ever. Return happily to the airport. Check in and get your seat number. But before they allow you to board, a airport staff member is asking you to please come with them. They take you to a room with a gold door and ask you if you recognize any of the luggage held there. Oh my, isn’t that your second bag? Yes it is, but now it is plastered with stickers from the Island of Solutions. Go pick it up. It feels much lighter now. But wait, the staff wants you to open it and check that it is your bag. So you cautiously open it and look in. It’s empty! You look again. Well, it is almost empty. Empty except for a gold pen. You pick up the pen. You see it has your name engraved in it. So smooth, it fits perfectly in your hand. You don’t recognize the pen but you know this is your bag. What has happened to the stuff you originally put in it? Oh, of course, the Island of Solutions. Your problems went sent there. Obviously they are still there, getting sorted out. And in return, you get this magic golden pen. To do what with you ask? For you to script the solution to any problem you have. This pen has all the solutions, but it can’t write them on it’s own. It needs you. What a cool gift. So claim this bag as yours. Return home with it. Know that you have a new tool to deal with your problems. Know you can write the solutions. For your pen has all potential solutions, but it needs you to write them. So taking a deep breath, savour that holiday feeling in your heart. And taking your gold pen, know that no problem is unsolvable. Gently return to the present with these gifts.

MW2003