The Basket We Carry: From Problems to Possibilities
There's something undeniably joyful about a child running across a spring-green lawn, Easter basket swinging from their arm, eyes wide with wonder as they discover colorful treasures hidden in plain sight. The basket fills with bright eggs-symbols of new beginnings, surprises, and the sweet promise of what's to come.
That's the kind of basket we want to carry.
But let's be honest—life doesn't always hand us a basket full of candy-coated joy. Sometimes it feels like we're carrying a basket full of problems: doubts, fears, disappointments, loss, or lingering questions that don't have easy answers. Especially during the Lenten season, we might find ourselves more aware of what's weighing us down.
Lent, in many traditions, is seen as a time of sacrifice or letting go. In a spiritual-but-not-religious context, I see it as an opportunity to become conscious of what we're carrying—and to choose whether we want to continue lugging it around.
Sometimes our problems are obvious: a strained relationship, a health challenge, financial worry. Other times, the "eggs" in our basket are subtle—quiet patterns of self-doubt, judgment, or perfectionism. Either way, our baskets can get heavy.
So, how do we work through the basket full of problems to reach the one full
of possibility?
Here are a few spiritual practices that help lighten the load:
1. Name What's Inside Your Basket
Awareness is the first step toward transformation. What are you really carrying right now? Sit down with a journal or take a quiet walk and ask yourself: What's weighing on my heart? What thoughts am I repeating? What am I avoiding?
Bringing these things into the light of awareness doesn't make them disappear, but it stops them from owning you from the shadows.
2. Practice the Art of Releasing
In Unity, we teach that letting go is not about loss, it's about freedom. You don't have to force yourself to "fix" everything at once. Simply begin with willingness.
Try this: Take a deep breath. As you exhale, say silently, “I release what no longer serves me.” Even if you don't know exactly what that is yet, you're beginning to open your hands, making room for new life to enter.
3. Fill Your Basket with Compassion
Imagine if you could hold each problem, not with frustration, but with gentleness. What if you treated yourself with the same kindness you'd show a friend who's struggling?
You can't always control what's in your basket, but you can choose the spirit in which you carry it. Compassion doesn't remove the challenge, but it makes the burden softer, lighter, and often transformative.
4. Look for the Hidden Gifts
Just like in an Easter egg hunt, some of life's greatest treasures are hidden in the most unexpected places. That heartbreak may have taught you how to set boundaries. That season of uncertainty may have deepened your faith in your own resilience.
Every challenge carries within it the potential for growth. And when we look back on the most difficult "baskets" we've carried, we often see that something new was being born in us—even if we didn't recognize it at the time.
5. Trade In the Basket Altogether
Here's a radical thought: What if you didn't have to carry it all by yourself?
Hand it over. To Spirit, to the Universe, to your higher self—however you understand the Source of wisdom and peace. Say, “I'm willing to let this be worked out through me, not by me.” That's not passivity—it's powerful surrender.
As we move through the final days of Lent and approach Easter, may we remember: every heavy basket is an invitation. And just like a child on an Easter morning, we are each being called to run into the field of possibility—where light returns, where color emerges, and where something beautiful is always waiting to be found.
Join us this Sunday when I share my Easter talk, “Through the Cracks, We Rise.” Because even the smallest opening is enough for Spirit.
Blessings, Rev. Bobby