Letting Go: The Ultimate Expression Of Love And Compassion

There are times in life when we are weary: weary of conflict, or pain, or uncertainty; when circumstances lead us to a place we did not choose, or we desperately try to hold fast to that which has gone. 

Moving forward can be disquieting; the past can be comforting. Yet, we live in the moment, or at least we try to.  Letting go of that which hinders us emotionally and spiritually is not an easy task: it takes courage, strength and more than just a modicum of insight.

By ourselves, the task no doubt seems insurmountable.

The other day I was reminded of the time I visited Ephesus in modern day Turkey.  Sitting in the huge amphitheatre, under the blazing sun, I imagined the prosperous port city that it was, and the people who called it home. They were no stranger to adversity and struggled with the practicalities of living in a complex and challenging world, as we do. They knew all about existential angst - the human condition, where the past imposes its myopic presence on the here and now - smothering growth and potential. They are more like us than we might think - time has not altered basic human nature, and our desire to find meaning in those we love, the work we do, and the lives we create for ourselves.

The echoes of that place, and the people who inhabited it, speak to us as loudly today as they did to the fractious Ephesian community of the history. That fractiousness is something we can all identify with: it can be present within ourselves and the relationships that mean everything to us. But it also calls us gently to consider a new, more way harmonious way of living, where letting go is cathartic, making way for new experiences and deeper ways of connecting with others.

Reflecting on on our own life circumstances - the failures, the people we have hurt, those who have hurt us, the insecurities and myriad imperfections we uncomfortably bear, the choice we make in moving forward is ours alone. With our freedom to choose comes the responsibility to do that which is right.

A fractious society teaches us much, especially the value of removing bitterness and malice from how we relate to others. Equally important though is to be empathic and forgiving.

Letting go can be the ultimate expression of love and compassion, paving the way for healing and reinvigoration.

Sometimes there is no other way.

#meaning #love #freedom #responsibility #forgiveness #compassion