A 988-word column written by Ma'at Seba that discusses the importance of getting rid of emotional and material baggage. Ma’at Seba is the founder and facilitator of RELATIONSHIP FIRST AID, a program which uses spiritual principles as the tools to iden-tify and resolve the causes of unhealthy, toxic or stressful relationships, whether it is with your mate, children, friends, co-workers as well as yourself. Ma’at can be reached for speaking engagements, classes or lectures at: Relationshipfirstaid@yahoo.com or Maatseba@gmail.com
 
PREVIEW:
     Erykah Badu’s song “Bag Lady” says: “Bag lady you gone hurt your back, dragging all them bags like that, I guess nobody told you all you must hold on to, is you. One day all them bags gone get in your way, so pack light.” That song is reflective of what is going on in this society now.
      For years people have collected “things and stuff,” from their houses, to boats, clothes, cars, shoes, electronics and credit cards. Now because of the economic status of this country, people are desperately trying to hold onto all of their things and stuff, but they are slowly losing it all and now they cannot emotionally cope with it. Family members are now having to move in together to financially survive and it is creating (and in some cases forcing) the opportunities to heal family discords. People are being faced with many realities such as the false sense of security that they had with their career, job, and/or money, as well as in the government’s (in)stability and in a sound financial future (401’s, stocks, savings etc.). Those who held those beliefs and have lived beyond their means are suffering severely.
     We are now entering into a time where even in the midst of what feels and looks like chaos, we have a grand opportunity to evaluate what is really important in our lives and begin to restructure and rebuild our lives over again, but this time with a new set of paradigms based upon love, family, community and unity, not things.