Release

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: ‘Release’ as in… freedom, liberation, letting go. It’s okay, just let go. You’ll be fine.

Nancy Lee and I are sitting on the deck. It’s early morning, the air is chilled, and the coffee is hot. As we notice the changing colors in the trees all around us, a leaf falls from a branch. It has finally let go. Another leaf drifts slowly to the ground. Then another. And another. And another. The air temperature has gotten to that point when the trees do what they do, causing the leaves to do what they do. The leaves are floating, falling. They are finally letting go.

What a poignant reminder to ask ourselves some essential questions. What do you need to let go of right now? What are you holding on to that, if released, would create some new margin in your life? What are you holding on to that no longer brings joy to your daily life? Each of us has all kinds of things that weigh us down and keep us stuck in long-gone seasons. Likewise, we all have things that prevent us from embracing new challenges and possibilities that lay ahead for us.

What do you need to release today so that you can embrace—or be embraced by life and more life? Is it the fear of letting go? Is it the angst of not knowing what’s next? It’s okay, just let go of it, you’ll be fine.

Let’s try this exercise. Sit quietly with your eyes open. Take three deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. On the third exhalation, gently close your eyes and settle into the space around you. After a few more moments, clench your fists. Hold your fists closed for a count of ten. Then release you’re your grip. Let the tension go, relax your hands. Open them up. As you open your hands, notice the freedom, the release, the liberation of letting go. Like the falling leaves, this is a powerful image and experience of letting go. It’s okay, just let go. You’ll be fine.

#100days50words

Paul Gauche is the Pastor of Life Transitions at Prince of Peace. His posts are part of his #100days50words project, where he blogs about a different word each week. You can follow his project on Instagram (@pgauche) or on his blog, Thriving Rhythms.