Lessons on Letting Go
Surviving Change & Loss
Once upon a time, my husband and I lost almost everything we owned in a fire. The aftermath of that earthquake experience taught me a lot about letting go — especially of material possessions. We were fortunate in that we were able to save some sentimental things (photographs, letters, my first teddy bear). We also didn’t loose any important documents (diplomas, passports, marriage and birth certificates). But we did lose a lot of everyday comforts and commonplace stuff — furniture, clothes, electronics, and linens. Oddly enough, some of the things that survived I wish had been destroyed. At the top of that list was my wedding dress. Unable to let go of it, I wished it had been taken from me.
Life after the fire in our building was a seminar in letting go of more than just material things. I also had to let go of certainty, privacy, comfort, and control. We spent ten months living like nomads. Each place had its perks. A few came with challenges. In some places we had privacy, in others we did not. Sometimes we had ample space, other times we felt like we were living in a closet. We slept on a futon, the floor, an air mattress (that one of our cats eventually punctured), and a twin-sized bed. And each time we moved we had no idea where we’d live next (or for how long). I could not control the amount of time we’d be displaced. We didn’t know…
