Gathering: Homespun Essays from Beech Tree Lane

Letting go is life. Holding tight is struggle. Another version of the story is there is a ten dollar bill in a wide-mouthed mason jar. A child was told to reach in and take it out. Despite its best efforts, it could not. However, turn the jar upside down and the money falls out, no grabbing or clinching involved. 

The money was the child’s as long as it did not cling to the money too tightly. The child had to let go to receive it. Grabbing and holding on did not deliver the desired result. Let’s imagine the jar filled with 100 dollar bills. To the rim. Even if I could wrangle my fist and wrist back out the jar’s opening, I probably could not grab all the money in the jar in one take. Some would be left behind. Turn that jar on its head, though, and it’s all mine. The gift comes to me. 

For best results the monkey and the child have to set free whatever is inside their jars. Let it go. Live life loosely. It’ll come to you if you don’t grab for it.
 

Why do we hold on to things we need to let go of? 

Why do we let go of things we need to hold on to?