So, life is not like what we expected, it’s not really going according to plan, we are experiencing let downs at one point or another; it’s either the dream life that we thought we were supposed to live, the career ladder that we were supposed to climb, the time frame that we set for each step to accomplish, the close relationships in which we invested time and devotion, the faith we had in people around us. At a certain point in our lives we realize that it’s not really what we anticipated, that we have been bombed by some kind of radical change that is leaving us frozen in place wondering what to do next. And it does not really matter what caused this change, be it economical, emotional or social. We realize after a while that we have been let down too many times and that we hold a grudge to something or someone. Maybe we blame the country for what is going on, get angry at someone for hurting us or all of the above. The conclusion is that the anger, disappointment and the uncertainty of tomorrow have become suffocating. What can we do but let go?
It is common knowledge that if we let go of bad experiences, unattainable dreams and impossible achievements that we would have a better chance of living a peaceful life. But it is easier said than done. Do you know how to let go? It’s not easy, it takes more persistence to let go of something than to exert an effort to achieve anything else, because letting go means dismissing the dreams in your head, forgetting about some of the emotions you held on to as support, because it means you will have to look for another set of dreams or to look at yourself and to the experiences you’ve been through from a different perspective. And boy this is a very hard thing to do. For some people it’s easy to maneuver around a dream, make some adjustments and go on, for others it’s a complete nightmare, its literally impossible.
But what makes letting go so hard? It’s the expectations that lead us to feel this way, when you expect something you become emotionally attached to it, it’s like carrying a baby, you conceive the idea in your head and as you wait, the dream grows inside, expected that at a certain time it will deliver a beautiful baby. But who gave us humans this certainty that everything would go according to our plans? Why are we always devastated that some things will not go as we expected? Is not there the slightest chance that maybe God wants us to have a better chance, that maybe there is something to appreciate after the pain of losing something, that life is not an expected journey in the first place.
To let go is to cut an imaginary thread that holds the things we expect, to let it wander off like a balloon drifting in the sky.
So let go! Let go of high expectations for this country and just be thankful that you have a country, that there is no war in your area and that we have the wonderful Mediterranean and the gorgeous Red Sea. Be thankful that you are surrounded by precious family and lovely childhood friends and lots of good and bad memories that made you stronger.
Let go of all the broken relationships you had, and be honest with yourself, if they were good and strong relationships they wouldn’t have been broken in the first place.
Let go of semi friendships, pseudo relationships and destructive liaisons, they are not worth the negativity they place on your heart.
Let go of worries about money or future, you made it till today didn’t you, so you will probably make it tomorrow too.
Let go, like you let go of old clothes, this will give you room for new dreams, a chance to tidy your mind and rearrange your priorities.
Let go of expectations, accept, you do not have to approve, as long as you gave it your best shot, just accept.
Let go for religious reasons, for health reasons, let go of past mistakes and let downs and start again.
Stop and think, what matters more, saving today or hanging on to yesterday,
God is giving us new chances everyday to make the rest of our lives better. Do not waste it and let go.
