Learning to Let Them Go...

Dear Friend,

It is so hard for me to let people go. I am not good at saying goodbyes, I don't like when seasons change, and I will be honest I want to love you and have you in my life forever. I have learned that people get to go that this is their journey too, and they have the right to chart their own course and go their own way. If you want to go, I have to let you go, I can't hold you prisoner, or I have found out that I imprison myself. I have come to realize often letting you go is allowing you to be...

I am reminded of the story of the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-32). I am sure it was very difficult for the father to allow his son to leave. I can imagine the conversation, full of warnings, and instructions and worry. However as a mother of adult children, I understand this process well. Life has a way of teaching you to let things go, and more so to let them be. There are so many lessons I have learned from the relationship between the prodigal son and the father, however one today stands out most in verse 20, "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a . long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him." I need to repeat that "filled with love and compassion...". The father had learned the art, of letting things be. He didn't put a demand on his son, or force him to do things his way, he just made a decision to let him be." And perhaps his ability to allow him to be, allowed him to return.

Friend, as I meditate on this I am reminded of 1 Cor 13:5, "Love, does not demand it's own way, LaKisha." Often letting go, just means letting them be, and allowing them "to be" means that you remain full of love and compassion as you send them on their way. The father had every opportunity to shun his son, to reject him and to forbid him to return home. However he didn't, he remained full of love and compassion. I think many of this have a difficult time with this because we see leaving as rejection. The father didn't see his son leaving as rejection, he knew it was a part of his journey. I think within the last few years, I have learned to master this part of the journey, letting people go with the opportunity to return, it was difficult at first but God kept reminding me love keeps no records of wrongs...

Learning to Let Things Be,

LMJ

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