We live in a small mountain village. When it’s dark, it’s really dark for we have no street lights. Last night, in the moonlight, a man and his two sons arrived at our mountain home. We helped them load into their van our dining room table and chairs. He told us they were new in Canada, finding their way, setting up their home with five children. I shared with him how much we had enjoyed this dining room set for many years. I gave him the blessing of it into their family life. He received the blessing and returned one to us. As they piled back into their van, I heard repeatedly, ‘God bless you. Pray for us. I’ll pray for you.’. And then they drove off into the dark night.

Our move has given us the initiative to give a lot of things away to a lot of people. On many occasions I’ve been able to offer a blessing to the people. Nothing ‘formal’, but heartfelt words of how much this loom, filing cabinet, doll house, chair, book etc. has meant to me and how I wish them enjoyment, peace and an awareness of Love as they use it. Most times the blessing has been received and that is such a gift back to me.

Letting go has been deep within me this week. Giving away the dining set was just one more physical reflection of the deep emotional, intellectual and spiritual release that this move is asking of me. The layers of letting go quite astound me.

As each layer peels off, I can feel more and more vulnerable, getting closer to my core for there is less and less I can hide within, fewer roles and tasks to hide behind. Even ‘The Moving Task’ I hold more lightly, as I continue to let go realizing I can’t control it.

We have some pine cabinets that we’ve had for forty years. I’ve been trying to sell them, but no one has purchased them in Toronto or BC. Tomorrow we’ll give them to charity. Another letting go. We bought them as newlyweds, as we made our first house into a home. It is time to let them go. It is time to let go too of who we were, so we can become who we are today, a couple married forty-five years, beginning a new life in a new location. It is time to let go of who we were, so we may become who we are today.

I know there is a blessing in all that letting go. I know that, but oh, sometimes it’s hard to let go and hard to both give and receive the blessing.

What do I cling to? Many times this week I’ve asked myself that question. What things, expectations, ideas, memories am I clinging to? What might I release so I can give and receive The Blessing?

How about you? What might you be clinging to? What might you release or give away? And how might you do that?

Love and prayers

Anne

Mystic in Motion

Contemplative Fire Community Leader, Canada