Letting Go - Why is it always hard

Letting Go

Letting go is the hardest part. Whenever we come upon an object or a person that interests us, we have the longing to obtain it for ourselves. Until we get it, we are not happy and keep thinking of it. The moment we know we have it, we are happy and our minds are at rest. So, basically, it is the desire that arises in the mind which causes attachment to persons, objects or places or animals.

The hard part

Letting go does not only mean letting go of a person alone. It could also mean letting go and giving permission to put a pet animal to sleep because it is hurt. It also means having to let go and decide to move away from your favorite house or city and living in another place. I have experienced this several times during my childhood when we had to keep ‘moving away’ from rented houses. It was hard to let go of friends and neighbors and go to a strange new house and try to make friends all over again. Children adapt easily but it is hard for adults to adapt to new surroundings all of a sudden.

Fly away birdie

Parenting is a great responsibility and one thing that parents share universally is the ‘letting go’ part when children want to fly away. It is one of the hardest part and quite inevitable in most families. It will seem very hard at first but there is no use in trying to prevent the children from going on with their own plans. The key factor is to trust the children and make them feel that you have given them the freedom to live responsibly. Then the children would be more capable of handling their own life and will think twice before taking any rash decisions in life. Also, assure them that they can always return to you for advice and help.

Giving freedom and space is true love

Letting go does not always mean relinquishing what is close to your heart. It could also mean letting go of your ego and accepting your partner along with their faults and shortcomings. No human is perfect and therefore no one is qualified enough to judge another. There should be no ego inside a relationship. There is no place for resentment if there is no ego present. Pure and true love removes the ego and the accompanying vices like anger, jealousy, suspicion. and selfishness. When a partner observes that there is no ego present, he/she will also strive to put on their best behavior and this will result in a beautiful relationship no matter how many storms try to sway it.

Life is a mystery and there is bound to be troubles and thorns along the path. There will be hurdles that try to put one down and drag down the quicksand but if we let go of what is holding us back, it will be easier and get on with life without having to struggle a lot. Just look around and observe the lives of those who struggle and yet smile and you will be thankful for what you have.

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_{written as homework for #thealliance}