41. Letting Go
Obviously this is what the teenage rebellious years are all about, adolescent children wanting independence and fighting their parents for the right to make their own decisions. It’s a rude awakening for those parents unwilling to let their child grow up. The "empty nest syndrome" for parents follows very quickly, the more unwilling a parent is to accept this stage of growth, the more painful it is for them.
Until the birth of my first son, I hadn’t realized what I may have put my parents through during my various stages of development. But the first time I laid eyes upon my newborn son’s face, with that perfect little rosebud mouth, cutest button of a nose, and piercing large black eyes that seemed to stare directly at me as if to say, "So, you’re my mother!"... I was hit with a jolting reality. I was suddenly filled with such an overwhelming fierce desire to protect this wondrous being from all the ills of the world, that I knew I had only one possible recourse. I would have to begin practicing to "let go" of him from day one.
I resolved that my job as a mother was to simply provide safe passage, exposure to all things wondrous and beautiful, the best education possible, and last but not least, promise to stay out of his way. I believe that all children are born with a bright light, shining with natural talent and ability that only needs to be nurtured, not forced. Staying out of a child's way allows him/her to maximize their own growth potential without the handicap of overbearing parents.
My philosophy of "letting go" has extended into all other areas of life, knowing and accepting that at some point the shifting sands of time brush up against everything one holds dear. The realities of aging seem to "pounce" suddenly if one is too adept at pushing back the clock. Does aging really have to have such a negative connotation or suggest feelings of discomfort or inadequacy? I think not.
Letting go of those who depart from this lifetime forces one to realize the fragility of life and what is truly valuable. Moving from a large home into smaller quarters forces one to let go of possessions that basically just added up to clutter. Leaving a familiar environment of any kind challenges one to appreciate what is new and happening. There is an irony
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