Learn To Let Go
“The root of suffering is attachment.” ~ Buddha
In many ways, there is nothing more pitiable than a person who wants something and cannot attain or achieve it. The look on that person’s face is generally a morose one, eyes sad, and energy level at a minimum. In many ways, the person walks around defeated and it is hard to cheer up such a person. That person often detaches himself or herself from activities.
How does it get to the point where something — or someone — has such a hold on us that we are inconsolable unless we can attain it? I believe that happens when we forgot that the only attachment that should have any value and importance to us should be our relationship with God.
The things of this world have been given to us to use and enjoy; but, we should never allow them to have a claim or ownership over us. When that happens, we end up doing crazy kinds of things just to possess them. I have said many times that when our possessions end up possessing us, we are in big trouble.
The Buddha stated that the root of suffering is attachment. If that is the case, the root of fulfillment and joy, then, would be detachment. Jesus spoke about detachment often. He challenged His followers to let go of anything that hinders them from drawing closer to God.
We all know the things in our lives that are important to us. We probably also can identify a thing or two that are too important to us. Things that we might have gone out of our way to possess. Perhaps the pursuit of those things have caused rifts in relationships with others. Nothing in life should be so important as to cause hurt to another.
From the time we are very young, we start to attach ourselves to the world and we give the things of this world much more importance than they should possess. I think the beginning of a spiritual life is learning that detachment from the things of this world is important in securing a deeper relationship with God.
That does not mean that we cannot possess things. It just means that we should not allow those things to possess us.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to give you the grace to let go of any attachment of yours that might have it’s hold on you.