Letting Go.
“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
While revisiting the essay I contributed to the anthology “Boy Moms: Collective Tales of Mothers and Sons” a few years ago — apropos as today is Mother’s Day — it struck me that while learning to let go has been invaluable in parenting, as we grow older the concept becomes an even more profound lesson. Letting go of youthful obsessions, unattainable ideals, or the need for external validation allows us to embrace something far greater — peace within ourselves. With each passing year, I find letting go — which is very different from letting ourselves go — is a quiet rebellion against societal pressures, a way of reclaiming our essence from the clutches of superficiality. It is in this release that we find a deeper connection to our true selves and to the world around us.
Let’s dive in.
As a boy mom, I get this. My son wanted to get his pilots license at around 16 years old. He was adamant about it. I, on the other hand, am terrified of flying. After months of pleading he convinced me to have, “just one flying lesson.” I insisted we go in the tiny plane together for that lesson. All for one, and one for all. I watched his face the entire time. He was in his element. He was a tech kid since he could walk and talk, and I knew in that moment, sitting in the backseat of a plane the size of a station wagon, I was letting my fears stand in the way of his dreams. I knew I had to let go and let him be him. He trained as a pilot. I watched nervously from the ground every single time. Now, he is an engineer working on things that fly in space. I had to let go and quite literally let him fly ❤️
I love this essay!