Can We «Let Go » All by Ourselves ?
I have a friend who’s gifted at psychological and spiritual counseling, and one of her favorite words is « let go ! » I’d love to, but it’s not that easy ! Can we manage to do it all by ourselves ? We hang on to our worries, our problems, our chagrin. Unconsciously, we may have the impression that they help to define us, to give us substance. They don’t, of course. Or perhaps we’d be delighted just to let go of them, but they’re obsessive and keep gate-crashing !
It’s as if we were dragging a heavy suitcase in the train station, crying out, « Please help me ! » and here’s a nice person who comes and picks it up for us, but our hand stays clenched on the handle.
I’ve also noticed that sometimes we let our helper pick up the suitcase only to snatch it back again.
Spontaneously, what we want is control. When we manage to turn over our suitcase, a shift takes place in our mind. What’s been weighing on us lets go of us. When we finally succeed in saying, ˝Take this from me ! I can’t do anything about it !˝ and meaning it, it’s as if a window has opened and let in some fresh air.
We can set down our burden with the help of visualization and/or prayer, trusting that Greater-Than-We will take it off our hands. I know someone who visualizes her guardian angel with a duffel bag ; every evening, before falling asleep, this friend stuffs whatever is bothering her into the bag. At the same time, she also stores in it those whom she wishes to entrust to divine protection. Angels know how to sort.
Letting go, like forgiving, is given by Grace. Often, we have to be at the end of our rope, to have thrown in the towel. That’s when we finally open up enough space within ourselves to make room for Help.