Ripples #881: Letting Go.
Apr 11, 2016
PEBBLE
Knowledge is learning something every day.
Wisdom is letting go of something every day.
-Zen proverb, shared by Terry in Oak Creek, WI
BOULDER
Learning to let go
should be learned before
learning to get.
Life should be touched,
not strangled.
You’ve got to relax,
let it happen at times,
and at others move forward with it.
-Ray Bradbury
PONDER
We are made to grieve.
Whether you think we humans were created from High Above, or that we evolved from the deepest ocean depths, or something in between or even altogether different: it seems clear that included in our operating system is the capacity to endure loss. We sometimes tell children stories about where their beloved pets or favorite toys have gone, but fairly early on we are able grasp the idea the animals and toys eventually go away. And people, too. We are often sad for a while, and usually experience some frustration and other emotions; eventually, though, we come to terms with letting go. And then we figure out how to move forward.
The same is true of our thoughts. As we grow through life, the information we pick up and the ways we look at the world sometimes become outdated; even “facts” like how many planets there are in our solar system can evolve as our understandings and perspectives shift. Some people are more amenable to change and therefor more adaptable; it’s also true that some things are easier to let go of than others. But one thing is as true for great losses as it is for our grudges and our gadgets: the ability to survive and thrive as we meander through this topsy-turvy lifetime depends significantly upon our ability to let go.
You or someone you care about may be in the process of saying goodbye to a person or a situation or a way of looking at the world. While we can’t rush ourselves or our loved ones through the process, there is great benefit to be found in identifying our thoughts and feelings, letting ourselves THINK and FEEL deeply, and to be consciously curious about when and how to let go.
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
