Learning To Let Go

One of the surprising difficulties is learning to let go, whether it is for a rye bread or to allow a relationship that has run its course to end.

With a rye bread, if there is just one left, unless it is near store closing time, I would like the next person to have it rather than to be disappointed that there are none left. And with relationships, it is always hard to say goodbye.

Several months ago, I was in a movie rental store and they had just one copy left of the movie I wanted. Rather than be elated that I was going to get the last copy, I stood there confronting the paradox believing in my heart I should just walk away and leave the movie to the next person.

Just then, a man spotted that movie and quickly reached around me to grab it before I or somebody else did. At first I was offended by his behavior. But then I realized that it was for someone else such as him I had not taken it in the first place.

With a sigh and a soft smile, I felt the difficulty of letting go but knew I had done the right thing. This is a lesson I am increasingly practicing.

Dick