Letting Go to Move Forward

For years, my life revolved around things I thought I couldn’t live without — a country club membership, a summer cottage, and my beloved pets. At the time, they all brought joy, but they also came with hidden costs.

These were not just financial, but opportunity costs. The country club meant we felt obligated go there for dinner or attend events. The cottage became a place we “had” to spend weekends at it, rather than choosing how to freely spend our time doing other things.

Even our pets, though dearly loved, added limits to when and how we could travel.

It reminds me of when we had a house with a pool. The work and expense of maintaining it often outweighed the enjoyment once the children no longer used it.

The children moved out and it was time to gat a single story house with no pool.

Life changes, we sold the house with the pool, the country club became history, the pets aged and died, and for a while, I mourned those losses. I thought I’d miss the lifestyle and routine they provided.

Yet, something unexpected happened — freedom replaced obligation. This year, for the first time in 30 years, we went to Bemus Point to watch the fireworks, something spontaneous, with no pets to arrange care for and no sense of “having to” be somewhere else.”

We even booked a hotel on a whim and tried restaurant specials we never made time for before. Every season of life brings its blessings and its challenges. Letting go of old routines was hard, but it opened space for new experiences, new joys, and new freedom.

What about you? Have you discovered that when challenges force change, good things often follow? Life keeps moving and sometimes, letting go brings unexpected gifts.

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