Letting Go

For many people these days, this is a time of transition. There is a great deal of movement going on, and we are shifting. For some, it may be just a changing viewpoint of the world around us. For others, it may be much more concrete, like having to leave our home for one reason or another. Change can be good, but it always brings with it some level of anxiety and fear of the unknown. A large part of it is learning to let go of the physical things we have surrounded ourselves with over the years. But, it is much more than just tossing old "stuff" into the trash.

Recently, I've taken on the monumental task of cleaning out the basement. Each box was filled with not only my own things, but also those belongings of which my parents had left behind. Who knew that cleaning a basement would actually become a journey into the past? Box by box, I peeled back the years. I found things that reminded me of when times were better and life was simpler. My daughter's cradle, my old nursing school books, my mother's wedding portrait and my father's boyhood train set all flooded my mind with memories. I realized that I was repeatedly passing by the little pink doll stroller and Playskool barbecue set . What was I thinking? We had moved to this house 10 years ago. Surely a nearly 9 year old was not going to push a doll carriage down the street or fix dinner with the plastic hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. It was all about letting go. I wasn't ready.

But, it was time. It was time to let go of what was and what used to be. It was time to accept what is and what will never be. But, it's okay. In the end, it really isn't about the physical things. It is about what they represent and symbolize. We don't have to drag around boxes of things from place to place. Because all we will ever need, we already have. Etched in our mind and hearts are our memories, forever our very own and never to be taken away.