Life is a dance of letting go and holding on, a lesson I (Holly) learned again recently when my "second mom," Judy or Mom, passed away peacefully at the age of 91. I call her my second mom because my creation mom passed away from cancer when I was eight, and Judy came into my life a year later when she married my dad. After all these years, I have come to realize that no matter how many times, and ways, we have done the dance of letting go and holding on, it is always difficult. Yet, at the same time, there is an opportunity for us to learn much in the midst of such difficulty.

Mom taught me a great deal about how to let go with grace. She accepted her gradual diminishment over the last year of her life without complaining. She didn't hide her suffering but was always sure to frame it in a larger context, as she continuously reminded all who visited just how much she was grateful for in all the ups and downs that she had experienced in her long life.

Holding on may seem like the opposite of letting go, and it is often. But there are also times when letting go and holding on are happening simultaneously, which our family experienced with Mom's passing. As she accepted that she was dying and let go of her final beloved possessions and any measures to prolong her life, she also held fast to her faith, her family, and her cherished memories and many, many fascinating stories.

And as we now let her go, we at the same time hold on to every memory and story she shared with us over so many years.

The pandemic has given us plenty of opportunities and challenges to practice letting go. Some of us have lost loved ones to COVID. We all have had to let go of something, be it a person, job, routine, plan, or something else. Sometimes we have chosen to let go; other times, we have been given no choice but to do so. And at the same time, many of us have found ourselves clarifying and holding on more strongly to what matters most to us.

As we write this, winter is gradually letting go of its grip here in Wisconsin, where we live. This helps us to remember that to everything, there is a season…a season to let go and a season to hold on…and sometimes, a season to do both.

Making It Personal:

1. Do you find yourself having to let go of something right now?
2. Do you find yourself wanting to or choosing to let go of something right now?
3. In the midst of things you are letting go of, what do you find yourself needing and wanting to hold on to more firmly?