Letting Go

Boys in St-Tropez,  T. is seated.

Last night I had a conversation with my friend Lucille.  We talked about letting go and detachment.

Our son T. is leaving on December 29th for St. James School of Medicine in Anguilla, a Leeward Island in the Caribbean.

My very wise Mother always told me that if one followed the seasons of life not only literally but figuratively, we would evolve toward a natural letting go when the time arose.  Such is my experience with my big boy of 22. I am watching him prepare, and there are a lot of preparations, for this first of several steps he must undertake to fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor.  As I watch, I am aware that I do so with some detachment because after all, this is HIS life, not mine.  Although I will miss him dearly because he is an animated and fascinating person to spend time with, I know that the time has come and I am generally o.k. with it.

Detachment is not always easy but it can be natural and if it is seen as a natural occurrence, I think it is a smidgen less difficult.  Also, one must remember that detachment is a process, not an event.

I have had a few moments where the inevitable tears flowed and my boys and I embraced recognizing that this is the end of an era.  Life together as we know it is changing forever.  All four of us are going about our days with a little more sensitivity to each other, a little more love, a lot more patience.

By letting it go, it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try the world is beyond the winning.

                                                           Lao-Tzu (BC 600-?, Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism)
 
Bonne journée,

Stella