Saturday, August 16, 2014

Let's Go or Let Go?

There is a lot being written and said in the media about letting go, in a plethora of self-help books, and of course on Facebook.  Like many of the popular memes and quotes, everyone seems to feel the need to parrot them, share them, mention them, repeat them.  They are popular because they resonate with the majority of us.  I get that.  The "share" feature on facebook serves many purposes.  I won't bother to list what you already know.  I think sometimes this modern phenomena of sharing on facebook is something many of us grew up with.  We called it being a copycat.  I am "guilty" of that. When it resonates with us, with our path, with our beliefs, with how we would like the world to be, we repeat it. What we learn we often want to share with the world.  If we are teachers, we cannot help but share with our students. But back to this "Let Go" mantra.  If we are going to truly let go of something or someone that just is not positive or healthy or inspiring for us, then to do so in anger or unforgiveness would just mean we haven't let go at all.  Merely ignoring someone or something is not letting go. Any negative emotion attached to the letting go actually binds it to us further.  It's a paradox.  Letting go is a good thing.  Or maybe sometimes not.  You decide how you are going to let go.  May it be from a place of love, forgiveness, with the best intentions, knowing that the letting go is the best for all concerned because you realize we are all connected in some way.  Otherwise, you are not really letting go and moving on. That brings me to the "Let's Go."

Let's go implies a collaborative and cooperative effort, an agreement. C'mon, Let's Go! Let us move forward together.  Let us acknowledge that the relationship or situation is not the best for all concerned, not out of judgmental attitudes or bitter resentment or the inability to bless what was and what will be.  Let us resolve to  mutually let go from a place of peace and kindness and compassion and healing! Let's go to the next level, which may mean separately and apart, yet acknowledging that all things, all people are connected no matter how much we Let Go.  To publicly proclaim that you embrace the concept of letting go while still holding on to the negativity is not letting go at all.  So, when it's time to let go, how about offering your hand and saying Let's Go! And be truly done with it. Moving together is freeing. And if your hand is refused, you can then truly still Let Go. The situation or relationship or person will eventually catch up. Or not. But then it isn't about you anymore.  It's about them and their choice to stay attached and not let go.  Let's go!  Like someone once said, "No one ever choked to death on swallowing their pride!"