Let Go!!

“Let go of the attachment, keep the lesson” ~L.J. Vanier

After wishing everyone a very happy new year when I reached my office desk on first January morning, I was little shocked. My old desk calendars were missing and new calendar was sitting there in brand new design. I like my work space to be spic and span. I don’t keep anything on my desk except for 2 calendars for the years I have been working for the organization. I immediately called the housekeeping guy and requested him to go and search for my old calendars. He was a little amused and said how it would be possible to trace my particular calendar out of hundreds in the carton. I asked him to bring the box and searched each and every calendar. Finally I got my old calendars back. Till that time my colleagues tried to offer me their old calendars kept in drawers or for record purpose but I was reluctant rather adamant for getting my copies back.

So what was so special about those two copies? Every single day of achievement, failure, happiness, tears was marked on same. It was a record of my progress, my growing attachment to the organization, my journey. After sometime I could not control but laugh at my childlike attachment to the calendar. I had literally demanded like child insists for chocolates. Human mind can get attached so strongly to a small thing like a calendar?? Just going through them is like watching a movie in fast forward mode for me.

Friends, isn't our mind also like a calendar? All memories get engraved on it. Some sweet, some bitter experiences ,some happy, some sad moments. We carry those together for n number of years. In my case I believe and try to practice detachment but it’s not always so easy I guess.

A small incident made me realize that unknowingly also we get entangled emotionally with so many people, places, or things. For example many of us like to be at a particular place whenever we are sad or feel low or certain places where we have cherished the happiest moments in life. Visiting those spots bring a nostalgic feeling.Isn’t nostalgia also a symbol of attachment?

I remember after my marriage when my father tried to clear my cupboards I was so upset. Why is getting go old things, old memories so difficult in life??

I feel old things, old places, and memories give sense of security. They offer a comfort zone. The feeling of having experienced that gives us a level of confidence. Remembering bad times gives us the hope that time passes away, whereas remembering happy times cheer us up even now. These things are like surreal support .But to move on in real sense in life we need to let go.

Let go-two words but the most powerful force to live a really happy and content life. Unless we let go and move forward we cannot have new experiences. Unless we let off go old memories there will be no scope to create better ones. Experimenting is possible only when we move out of comfort zone. Why does life become so difficult when someone stops talking to us or when someone neglect us or leave us?? Why is that when our favorite belongings go missing we feel so sad?? Consciously clearing the history is necessary to step in new future. If we keep on dwelling in past how do we focus on present?

I met senior in our profession for some work related discussion and during our 2 hour conversation he kept on bringing up his past achievements .I was a little disappointed by the way he was engrossed in his past. This is the case with many people who keep on rewinding their professional journey .Its good to be happy and proud but I feel that real success is in turning around current situations .Past achievements never assure future progress and attainment of milestones. I feel thinking and acting on what can be done in present is the real key to good professional life.

Lessons learnt from past can become a foundation of better future. We need to remember the lessons rather than events or people. Life is about exploring, life is about experiencing, life is about learning. Everything in life is for a purpose and we need to let go. Since ages cleaning households before festivals has been a common ritual in India. The logic may be the same. Cleaning household blockages created by old stuff is necessary for free movement of positive energies. Likewise letting go off attachments is crucial for peace of mind. Celebrating New Year is actually a reminder of registering lessons and letting go the past 12 months.

Friends, on this on this note, I have already let go off the old calendars and embarked on new journey to create new memories and milestones.

“If you’re brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.”― Paulo Coelho