Yesterday my minister encouraged the image of walking through life with hands open, palms up, as opposed to hands closed tight, clutching, trying to hold on to things. Yes, that was the image I wanted to live by, I thought as I listened. Yet today I had the silliest time to let go of a piece of furniture. It was an antique dry sink that we used to hold china and a stereo when first married. Then when our children were born, its function changed drastically and it became a rather charming changing table. There was no way a precious son could roll off and there was ample room for folded [cloth] diapers in the cupboard below. It never really belonged to us, however, but was on more of an extended loan. With the need for a changing place long behind us and the true owners of it holding an estate sale, the time to return it was now. If I wanted to hold on to a piece of sentimental furniture, it should be no surprise that there are lots of more significant things that I'm tempted to close my hand around rather than release. Here are a few items that spring to mind: 1) my sons who are nearly grown; 2) my youth that is now firmly middle age; 3) my church community that seems to be dying; 4) my money that must be spread so far; 5) my time that no longer can be scheduled the way I want it to be. What are some items that would be on your list of things that are hard to release?
“Thou takest the pen – and the lines dance. Thou takest the flute – and the notes shimmer.
Thou takest the brush – and the colors sing. So all things have meaning and beauty in that space beyond where Thou art.
How, then, can I hold anything back from Thee.”
— Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings
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