Bid Adieu

As I was sitting down pondering what to write for December’s newsletter, a memory of my childhood came to me. My parents moved me and my three sisters to California , from Oklahoma , right as I was entering the ninth grade of high school. I have lots of fond memories of my childhood in Oklahoma City , but one that sticks out the most for the purpose of this newsletter is attending Eisenhower Middle School . At the end of every school year it was customary for the students to litter the school campus with school papers; so as students were running cheerfully from the school, you’d see papers flying from their hands, backpacks being dumped from bus windows, and paper airplanes soaring the sky just a hair above your head. It was both a joyful and bittersweet event to participate in and witness.

On the last day of my eight grade year, as my school bus was driving away, and the last paper flew from my hand landing softly on a paper before it, I remember how free I felt letting go of all that I no longer needed from that year.

That final afternoon, as I looked back at a campus littered with papers that created a white blanket over the grass resembling the snow we got every winter, I knew among my very personal notes and poor graded papers, there were others in its company so mine wouldn’t stick out, the year was over… I could look ahead.

With the end of this year approaching, now is a good time to reflect on what affect it’s had on us; on how certain situations or meetings pushed us forward; the lessons that came back around for us to learn; and whether we progressed closer to ourselves or farther from our center. With all of the many ups and downs that I know we’ve experienced in 2007, this year has provided amazing energy to “bring it all” to the surface in order for us to be clear on where we stand in our own lives, the lives of others, and what we truly need in order to live the lives that we seek. In a sense, 2007’s motto has been: “Now that you see it, what are you gonna do?” If we reflect on that statement alone, I’m sure we can find where it applies/ied in our lives this year.

As beneficial as reflecting can be, as we prepare for this year to end, it’s important that we not spend time in regret or lamenting over what we’d hoped would appear in our lives (or for some disappear). One of my favorite quotes comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, in which he wrote, “Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations to waste a moment on yesterdays.” I love this quote because it reminds us to not waste our moments looking back at what was, or what could have been, but rather moving forward with a “high spirit” for what’s to come.

Release the Albatross. Unfortunately, for some letting go isn’t that easy. What they do in their own lives can be compared to packing for a trip, they just pile on! Not quite sure what to bring (or what not to bring) so packing much more than they need, only to discover shortly after arriving to their destination that they should’ve left most of what they packed behind. But, because they brought it, they just have more wardrobe choices to confuse them, hope to encounter a situation where they’ll be happy they packed what they did, and with all the excess “stuff” there is very little room to hold the new items they purchase...so they board the plane, the car, the train, with more bags than they started off with, wishing they would’ve packed smarter in the first place...”I didn’t need half the stuff I packed, but was afraid not to bring it.”

So, rather than enjoying the journey, some will keep a hold to what’s familiar rather than appreciating that as long as you have the basics the rest can be picked up along the way.

Unscientific Study. I once had someone tell me that they’d rather over than under pack, and you know what? That attitude showed up in every aspect of her life. She had an excuse for everything and could justify the purpose for every grudge she owned.

Not to say that every over packer is that way, but if you did a quick survey on the people you know that have a hard time “traveling light,” (emotionally and physically) they probably over pack their “baggage” too. J

It’s only in our capacity to release, and really let go, that we make room for the things we aspire to attract.

…it wasn’t until I was an adult that I began to wonder who had the massive undertaking of cleaning up the papered lawn we created, or if the end of the year custom at Eisenhower Middle School still exists. For the students’ sake I hope it does, because having that experience as a child always served as a symbolic reminder for me to let go of the excess things that could be an encumbrance later, while using the memories to help enrich my life.

If we can see not only this passing year, but each passing day as our opportunity to let some things go, our lives and our being as a whole will soon feel lighter. Perhaps by ending each day metaphorically throwing the old “stuff” out the window or willingly opening our hands and releasing anything that happened that day that isn’t in alignment with what we’d like to have or be.

December is almost over and 2007 will be saying goodbye to us very soon, never to return. We’ve lived another year, and for some of us, we’ve had to say goodbye to loved ones that were reborn to spirit. We’ve laughed; we’ve loss; we’ve discovered; we’ve grown; we’ve endured more than we ever thought we could, and YOU ARE STILL HERE. Now keep your eyes open and chin neutral…our New Year, new gifts, new journey awaits.

…looking back at this year’s campus littered with papers that create a white blanket over the grass resembling the snow, know that among your very personal notes and poor graded papers, there are others in its company so yours won’t stick out; when this year is over, look ahead.