Letting go, for
reasons not entirely clear to me, is a phrase that has always rubbed me the
wrong way.
In the past I
think I have treated letting go as a sort of ultimatum (I hate ultimatums) requiring
me to relinquish things that were important to me. In frustration, I had a
tendency to overcompensate, so not only did I let things go, I effectively gave
them a shove for good measure.
Letting be makes
a lot more sense to me (it is so much friendlier), as it is not so much a
relinquishing of life, but a releasing of any tendency toward taking a
choke-hold on it.
Liberating
whatever it is that we may find ourselves tempted to cling to, gives us space
to breathe, time to locate our peaceful place and take stock of things more
objectively—to integrate.
In the same way
that every white-water enthusiast knows it is smart to take the boat out of the
river once in a while—to stand on the shoreline and assess the next set of
turbulent variables—letting be gives us space to process whatever life may be
putting in our way, an opportunity to step back and observe any and all
challenges.
It requires
summoning all our skill, intelligence and deep faith in our abilities. It means
acknowledging the risk of failure, and the inevitability of change.
Or we could just
live in denial … (yes, I’m kidding).
Letting go/letting
be is not really an ultimatum then. It is an act of generosity bringing us in
greater intimacy with the contents of our life, particularly the complex nature
of our emotional life—that which impacts our ability to relate well both to
ourselves and others …
… to love and be
loved.
