Storage units are an invention that can help us to hold on to the past. When I moved to Scotland there was so much I just couldn't let go of, so my son stored it for me. I have a very kind and understanding son! Now it is time for him to move and pare things down a bit, so he asked me if I wanted some of the things in the storage unit...or if I was ready to let go...
...and I found that I could indeed let go, simplifying both of our lives! I probably could not have let go five years ago, and know I could not let go thirteen years ago. Wise voices from many places and traditions tell us that letting go and simplifying our lives is the next step in our journey, but they forget to tell us that letting go takes time!
Having access to the things we hold on to is not required for holding on - I have watched people lose precious things and relationships, and yet they hold on to them as if the lost object or person was still there. I have listened to people explain disappointments to me as if they happened earlier in the day, only to learn that the event happened decades ago!
Letting go can take time...sometimes lots of time. But when the time is right, letting go can feel very good - liberating. It can bring a greater sense of freedom, and freedom is one of the "tells" that I look for to know that God is at work in my life. Greater freedom usually means a greater attunement to the Divine.
Thoreau wrote: "Simplicity is one of the most valuable lessons we can learn from nature. We experience a certain freedom traveling lightly on the path, unencumbered by unnecessary food, clothing, or gadgets. We need to adopt an inner simplicity by also leaving behind confused thoughts and agendas. Each day we carry an enormous load of emotional and material baggage. The weight prevents us from straightening up to see and experience the beauty of each moment. Worries and anxieties give us spiritual cataracts. Simplify, simplify, simplify." (as quoted in Susanne Vanzant Hassell's Pilgrim Walk in the Woods.
What baggage did you carry today? Do you need it? If you do need it, you can choose to keep carrying it. Perhaps if it is heavy, you can set it down for awhile and rest. You can pick it up again if you must, or, maybe...
...you can let it go. Or hold it with open hands until you are ready...
Blessings,
Kim
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