Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Letting Go...

A friend of mine sent me this wonderful e-mail a week or so ago. I have received some form of this before, a time or two... but it is SO TRUE, that I feel a strong need to share it.
In the course of my life, I have occasionally made the mistake of trying to hold on to something or someone, long after it was time to let go. Sometimes it was me trying to hold on to them... and other times it was them trying to hold on to me.
In the long run, once we learned to "let it go," I think we are all happier people now. (To them, I send my most sincere well-wishes!) I wish we had learned sooner, but that's how it goes sometimes.

When we use guilt or whatever method to try pulling someone back into staying in our life. . . or if we keep them from following their heartfelt path and leaving, I think that they are never really back with us. I think a part of them can never actually come back. . . that part is already gone. They might go through the motions-- they might seem to try, but their heart may never be in it. So you never really have the entire person back with you. So what's the point? It's never the same again.

I learned the long hard lessons... well, the hard way! I wish I had understood this mindset a very LONG time ago... and taken it to heart. I wish I had understood then, that there will always be a better situation around the corner... just waiting for us to enter. But much like Dorothy and the Ruby Slippers, sometimes we have to learn things in our own way, in our own time... and figure out we had the power and ability to get there the whole time. We deal with the pain it causes us... and hopefully we grow from it.
With no further ado... A great lesson to learn and take to heart.


There are people who can walk away from you. And that is OK!!!
And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you:
let them walk!!

I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to
see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone, or close the door.

When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us.
For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you.
And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.

Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep
trying to raise the dead.
You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over... Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have, He'll give it to me. And if it takes
too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life,
then you need to........

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ......

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and
see your worth.....

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you ........

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction.....

LET IT GO!!!


If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents

LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude.........

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level.....

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.......

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves.....

LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed.......

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to......

LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2007... & 2008...!!!


LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then....

LET IT GO!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wise words, & wise thinking.
A line from "The GodFather" comes to mind... "It's not personal, it's business!"
It might feel personal, but try not to take it that way... try to move past that. It will take time, but try to understand that we are all in the business of living our lives and doing what is best for each of us. We must each follow our own path. And if someone honestly feels that it's time for them to leave and move on... Let Them!

I try to remember that any and all struggles I have been through or allowed into my life are not wasted time. It sometimes feels like it was wasted, but I have to bless those times as a part of what has made me who I am today... and then lovingly let it go. Sometimes, I have a day where I think too much about things of the past. I think about how I wish I had handled this or that differently, or I wish I had not tried to change the direction of something or someone. Then I give my brain a "high-five," I take a deep breath, and release it back into the Universe. I ask God and the Angels to please take it away and transform it into a more positive energy for the greater good.

I like to think that I have since learned this lesson. I feel that I have made great progress on this in the last 7 or 8 years. For that, I am grateful! I hope I will continue to learn, grow and be wise enough, now and in the future, to not take on so much struggle and to "Let go" when it is time.

Be Well...
~Paulena

5 comments:

Patricia Smith Wood said...

Wonderful insights, kiddo! I'm proud of you, and your are so-o-o-o right!!

Anonymous said...

Good Stuff! The Buddhists say that "attachment is the root of all suffering." The hardest life skill is to learn to be a witness.. but it's the best way we can be an authentic friend. Genuine caring without attachment is what the Zen masters call Lovingkindness. I've been working on that one for years and still feel like a beginner. One of the books that helped me understand this complicated simplicity is "A Path With Heart" by Jack Kornfield. For me it was well worth the read.

Paulena said...

Hey Scott,
THANKS for the thoughtful comment and the book title. I will look that one up!
I have several books on Zen and Tibetan Buddhism. They are all terrific. But like you mentioned, I also still feel like a beginner in all of it... and perhaps I always will. Maybe we are supposed to feel that way. It keeps us always striving to do better.

And thanks Mom, for your comment too. Your ongoing support is always appreciated more than you may know.

Thank you both!!
~Paulena

Anonymous said...

Wise, wise words.

Get it out and let it go.

Am almost done getting it out, working on letting it go.

Sent an email yesterday - no more contact please, in any form, no reason, no right, no need.

:-)

Paulena said...

Thanks.
Way to go! It's difficult, but you will come through it even stronger than before!
Remember to be good to yourself!