“18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:18-19
I’ve shared before that I’ve always wanted to live in New Orleans – the culture, the art, the food, the music. It’s hard to believe that there was a time when the only Algiers I’d heard of was in Algeria. Little did I know, right here in my home state, in a city I’d always wanted to live in, there was this place of warmth and welcome and most importantly community.
I wouldn’t trade living here for the world, but I will admit that this time of year, I get a little wistful when I think about all of those places in our country where the leaves are actually changing color – to amber and orange and vibrant crimson – as the branches let go of their leaves.
I once came across something describing Fall that said, “The trees are about to show you just how beautiful letting go can be.”
I found these words mesmerizing. I’d always thought of letting go as painful, never beautiful. It like a paradigm shift. And I started thinking that it must be freeing for the trees to let everything fall away and realize that they can face the world with nothing to hide behind – with roots that are strong enough to withstand anything the world can bring.
But can the same be said for us? If I’m speaking honestly, sometimes it’s scary to let our authentic selves be uncovered, for our souls to be exposed. But what beauty there is in it – in letting go of the things that are weighing us down. In relying solely on our roots planted firmly in faith. It reminds me of how necessary it is to let things go in our lives, so that we can grasp all that we might experience in the future. So that our arms might be empty and our hands might be open to receive new opportunities that are coming our way.
Wherever you are in this season of life – in this season of the pandemic, in this season of parenthood or retirement – take a moment to reflect on what is weighing on you, on what might need to be released.
Through letting go we gain strength in knowing that, like the trees, we have let all the excess go and are still standing strong. Seasons will change, and with God, we will bloom again.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Colleen
