I remember lying on my back in the grass, as a young child, watching the clouds drifting across the sky. It was so peaceful, just lying there waiting to see what magical shapes might appear. Kids love to use their imagination! Do you remember seeing clouds that looked like cartoon characters, or circus animals, or maybe flying carpets you could ride across the sky? As kids, we didn’t need any goals for time spent captivated by the visions so high above. We were just available for any exciting possibility that happened to come floating by.
When did we lose the blessed freedom of childhood, and become adults who have all these “shoulds” and “have to’s?” Our need to control is a big source of our anxiety and depression. If life doesn’t go according to our plan, we begin to feel stress and disappointment. We grit our teeth and struggle to follow the course that we’ve set. When things continue to go awry, we often feel angry and resentful, or sad and hopeless.
What if we stopped trying to force things — took a deep breath, quieted our minds, and loosened our grip on what we think our lives have to be? What if we just let go of what isn’t working? Could we then begin to open up to all the new possibilities? Could we begin to see that there isn’t just one path into the future, but instead many varied paths? If we can accept what is, we free ourselves for what might be!
Think about this for your life, and see if some of the anxiety and depression you’ve been feeling doesn’t begin to soften slightly. As human beings, we only see a small part of the picture at any given time, so much remains unknown. Re-discover the rich joy and enthusiasm of childhood — allow yourself to let go, and then be ready for the wonderful possibilities!
Until next time,
Linda