Letting go

A few days back, I heard a song by Crystal Shawanda. Titled ‘You can let go’, the song is from a daughter to her father. And listening to the beautiful song made me think about ‘Letting go’.

Too many times we hold on to too many things in our life…..the past, some unpleasant memories, pain, frustrations, regrets and even people who no longer have a place in our lives. We know we need to let go, but it is difficult. In the deepest corners of our minds, these things lurk surfacing every now and then causing heartaches and pulling us down. It is definitely difficult to let go but it is not impossible. And it requires two things…..acceptance and forgiveness. Acceptance….that things have happened, they cannot be changed and they are a part of who you are. Forgiveness… forgiving others may be needed….but the person you really need to forgive is yourself because somehow no matter what has happened, we tend to blame ourselves….I guess that is human nature…the tendency to over analyze things.

I love the beach. Standing on a beach and watching the sun set is one of the things that I find very calming and peaceful. So when I need to let go of something, I picture myself standing on the shore and dropping it into the waters. Now, usually the beach waves do their best to try and return whatever you dropped into the waters back to you. So, I imagine myself turning around and walking away. And even though I am very tempted to look back, I don’t….I just keep walking. This visualization always helps me to let go….because one thing I know for sure….unless you ‘LET GO’ you cannot ‘MOVE ON’.

Signing off knowing that there are still many things that I need to ‘let go’ and the lyrics of the song that inspired this post (for all the Dads and their little girls out there).

Wind blowin’ on my face
Sidewalk flyin’ beneath my bike
A five year-old’s first taste
Of what freedom’s really like
He was runnin’ right beside me
His hand holdin’ on the seat
I took a deep breath and hollered
As I headed for the street
You can let go now, Daddy
You can let go
Oh, I think I’m ready
To do this on my own
It’s still a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be ok now, Daddy
You can let go

I was standin’ at the altar
Between the two loves of my life
To one I’ve been a daughter
To one I soon would be a wife
When the preacher asked,
‘Who gives this woman?’
Daddy’s eyes filled up with tears
He kept holdin’ tightly to my arm
‘Till I whispered in his ear
You can let go now, Daddy
You can let go
Oh, I think I’m ready
To do this on my own
It still feels a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be ok now, Daddy
You can let go

It was killin’ me to see
The strongest man I ever knew
Wastin’ away to nothin’
In that hospital room
‘You know he’s only hangin’ on for you’
That’s what the night nurse said
My voice and heart were breakin’
As I crawled up in his bed, and said
You can let go now, Daddy
You can let go
Your little girl is ready
To do this on my own
It’s gonna be a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be ok now, Daddy
You can let go
You can let go