The Burden We Choose to Carry

In a quiet village, a young woman was known for her seemingly carefree spirit. Her neighbor,

perpetually stressed, envied her composure. "Her life is so easy," she'd often complain,

"while mine is a constant struggle." One sweltering day, both walked home from the market,

carrying heavy baskets. The stressed neighbor grumbled about the heat, sighing dramatically.

The carefree woman hummed, her smile unwavering. At a rest stop, the stressed neighbor

collapsed. "This basket is crushing me!" The carefree woman offered help.

As she lifted the basket, she gasped. It was filled not with market goods,

but heavy stones. "Why stones?" she asked. The neighbor looked surprised.