Letting Go

Easier said than done, right? We know we should try to let go of our fears, bad habits, expectations about what should be, others actions toward us, on and on. We place expectations on ourselves for achieving, for keeping busy. Right now we are in a health threat to the world, a virus we cannot see that is deadly. What do we do to cope? It depends on where we are, if we enjoy living in a comfortable home, if we have a job, and coping as a front-line health care worker is a monumental challenge. Saving lives, comforting the sick, all while being exposed up close and personal to the Covid-19.

Wherever we are, we already have had to let go. Our patterns and daily life were turned upside down; we were forced to let go of daily life, goals, travel, hugging, sports. Some of us are faced with staying inside, figuring out what to do with time. Others are focused on how they will pay bills, earn some money, deal with illness not related to the virus.

Whether intentional or not, we are all trying to cope to this uncertainty, chaos and this rampant virus we cannot see. It is amazing to see some of the creativity that emerges, singing, dancing, opening windows to clap and cheer for health care worker, high school students making masks and on and on.

It’s like a puzzle with pieces missing, pieces yet to be found. During the last couple weeks I have been working on a jigsaw puzzle, of a group of women performing a Tai Chi fan form. My goal was to relax and slowly put the pieces together into a whole. A few days ago I posted a picture on Instagram and said, “Things in pieces this morning. With patience they will come together.” Today, most of the pieces fit together, but not all. I am going to let go of completing it because I need the space I’m using for filming Tai Chi videos, for staying connected with my students. I’m going to let go of an unfinished project because personal contact and connection is more important.

Letting go provides space for stillness, for centering, for Tai Chi, yoga, and maybe just taking time to breathe for a couple minutes. I do think what I said has value — “things in pieces this morning. With patience they will come together”. It is going to take time; it will take a collective effort of millions of people to stop, re-think what we are doing and focus on the larger good. One person at a time. Let go of one thing to focus on another. With patience the pieces will come together.