This is love, to fly towards a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally to take a step without feet – Rumi
A Short Story on Letting Go
There once lived a beautiful kingfisher bird in the evergreen treetops deep inside the hidden valley of a virgin rainforest. It led a tranquil life. In the morning it hunted in the crystal clear waters of the lake, and during the day it serenaded with the wildlife, humming its merry tune and revelling in the beauty of its surroundings.
Life, in general, was good.
But living in the jungle was not without its challenges, even in one so rich and bountiful. There were unpleasant times when the bird failed to catch a fish, sorrowful moments when a fellow bird or animal passed away, and terrifying moments when the bird had to defend itself from predators.
The bird overcame every challenge and endured. However, it had one peculiar habit that was very un-bird-like!
Every time it encountered a failure or had an unpleasant experience it collected a pebble from the foreshore to remind itself of the adversity. It crafted a sling bag made from vines and carried the accumulated stones with it everywhere it went.
Time passed by. The bird matured into an adult; all the good memories faded into the distant echoes of the past. The bad memories, however, lingered, anchored to the pebbles in the bag which had become quite heavy over time with the weight of the ever-increasing stones. Flying with the burden became a challenge, yet the bird refused to let go of the unnecessary baggage.
Then one day, the bird withered and died, overcome with hunger and thirst, alone and heartbroken, unable to take flight, weighed down by all the memories it failed to let go of. The creatures of the forest lamented its passing and wondered – how beautiful the bird’s life would have been if only it had chosen to forget its past and fly free unburdened, if only it had learnt to let go …
7-Pointed wisdom
- Social cues have trained our minds to relate the achievement of a goal to the ultimate feeling of pleasure, and it’s because of this mental conditioning that most of us struggle with our self-image when we fail to overcome some of the hurdles in our lives. We feel doubly deprived and miserable – for having given up and for having lost. Yet, there is hope… as long as you dare to pick up where you left off and keep moving; you should never give up, yet from time to time you should practice the art of letting go.
2. Letting go is not giving up. Letting go is not admitting defeat. Letting go is not failure. Letting go in fact is a courageous act that requires unshakeable faith and irresolute strength of character; it is an acknowledgement that you are aware of things that can be influenced and of things that cannot; You cannot change winter into spring, and you cannot turn the night into day – nature has its way and its own rhythm. Let it go. Let it be. Give it time. Pause your activity, recalibrate your thinking, reassess your strategy, and exercise patience. In time the Universe will manifest your true desires and what you seek will indeed spring forth.
3. Quote: Realise there’s something incredibly honest about trees in winter, how they’re experts at letting things go – Jeffrey McDaniel
4. Quote: Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it – Ann Landers
5. Quote: Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness -Steve Maraboli
6. Self Awareness statement: I am willing to submit to the natural laws and focus only on my actions. I shall strive not to be attached to the outcome nor be in a rush to expedite it. Having done all I can, I shall be patient like the farmer who sows the seeds and waits for nature to take its course.
7. Call to Action: Spend a few minutes every day practising the art of releasing all tension from your body, relinquishing control and letting go. As you breathe in picture the entire cosmos entering you through your nostrils and as you exhale picture yourself merging with the Universe. Release. Let Go. Be one yet no one.
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