To let go to find freedom!

 

These photos of a 30 months old child, taken on 13 October 2021 caught my attention, while visiting the photo library in the computer. 

The fifteen photos of how this child decidedly let go of his hold on the chair steadily and slowly to reach the floor and then attempting to crawl appeared full of meaning that I suspect I missed at that time. He cautiously by design and plan progressed to reach the floor to feel free and move about. He longed for freedom which was what he attained by his decision and action. 

Letting go was not an easy decision for this child. His muscles were stiff and slow to respond to his efforts to to move. He was only in the early stage of his attempt to bear weight unsupported to sit. His desire to let go however was decisive and well balanced. 

To let go was a loss of the safety and security of the support he had from the chair. Yet he took the risk because of his desire to find freedom to move! 

I remember a two years old child having a handful of marbles in his fist and struggling to bring out the hand through the narrow neck of the container. His mother suggested to him to let go of the fistful of marbles and pick up one marble at one time. That was not an acceptable proposal to him. He took a while to follow up on his mother's advice. 

This applies to me in my daily life ! The time has come when I am required to give away a good collection of books as I do not use them any more. But I stay attached to them sentimentally. The storage space is limited. I perpetuate this dilemma and feel controlled by my attachment to them. 

To let go of a behaviour or practice is the first step to let in a new optic and behaviour! 

The boy in the picture above reminded me of the move I need to take in some dimensions of my living to let go! There is no movement forward or prospect of new experience till I can let go of what I am used to or attached to!

Since small joints of my hands have arthritic pain, I have been focussing on more movements. It was while playing caroms today I realised that lot more of movements are possible than what I am used to. What I need is is to let go of my hesitation to move for fear of pain!

To let go is difficult; but when one chooses to do it, it lets in the freedom which did not exist before! 

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)