Letting Go

by: Gary Szenderski

Letting Go

A Sixty-Word Short Story: *

Carl wanted to start the year on a positive note. He dutifully listed his resolutions for the upcoming year. He took one last admiring look at what he was about to accomplish, then he stuck the new list on his bulletin board completely covering last year’s plan. New list, new life, he thought. But how could he make it happen?

And more…
In a poem by Robert Burns he writes: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” This oft quoted phrase is a reminder that like Carl we all face obstacles to our well-conceived ideas. And the reason we sometimes fail is because we think that the only way for reaching our goals is to do it all by ourselves. Resolutions however, no matter how profound and thoughtful, often have a lot of moving parts and finding the energy, time and motivation to achieve them can be daunting. And so, even though we charge ahead with a positive mindset and determination, we often run out of gas before we reach the desired destination.

We often assume that making stuff happen in our lives is our responsibility which it is. And it begins with visualizing what we want to happen. And next we typically make an action plan to get there and then something happens or doesn’t happen like we need it to and we get frustrated and quit. That’s because when we focus on HOW it’s going to happen more than what it is we WANT to happen we get sucked up into the details and suddenly there are more obstacles blocking our path than we can manage. In other words when we become attached to having our dreams come true in a very specific way we inadvertently negate a gazillion other ways to accomplish what we want.

Attachment is limiting and based on what we think we can handle on our own. Detachment to the result however opens the door of opportunity because letting go creates uncertainty and that is how the universe works its magic. Uncertainty lets us step into the field of infinite possibilities. We don’t give up on our dreams; we stay focused on those, but by giving up on how they might be delivered we allow for serendipity and good fortune to intercede. It’s not my law; it’s the way we’re wired. Our true self and not the symbols of ourself has more power than we think and when we apply that power to the goal and not the process we create miracles.

The Final Thought: It stands to reason that if we are made in the image and likeness of our creator, we have the same power to create for ourselves. To manifest dreams, we only have to focus on the dream and let serendipity and the universe surprise us on how it happens.

* The Premise (Opening short story): Always 60 words. No more. No Less. For more stories like this and information about my books, please visit www.szenzone.com