Out of Control and Thriving!

Our bags were packed, we were ready to go, about to catch a few hours of sleep before we started our journey to Porto Vallarta, Mexico for five days of rest and rejuvenation on my husband’s company’s tab when the phone rang.  My son, audibly shaken, describes driving down a dark, country road to drop off his friends when out of the woods pops a deer. He swerved and missed the deer, but lost control of the car. The grace of the event was they were all okay. But the car…not so.

Trying to buy some time, we hoped to postpone our flight by a day—no go. So here we are, processing the disappointment through a few tears and treating ourselves to a stay-cation—low profile, no phone calls, dinners out and many hours reading by the fire.

Letting Go

The Buddhists believe attachment is what creates suffering. This gives me the opportunity (notice the positive spin) to once again, look at what I am attached to—tropical vacation at the end of an intense winter—you bet. This really put that philosophy to the test, but after grieving the loss, I am able to be present to what IS available to and for me, which is a lot.

My spiritual process this year has brought me an awareness of when I get stuck, wanting things to be a certain way and, yes, the suffering it causes.

The Gift

But what happens when we let go, ease our death grip on trying to control outcome? Experience has shown me that the universe offers surprising gifts.

Letting go of control and living in the “I don’t know” of life, can be uncomfortable, but the synchronicities that occur when we are able to live from that place often bring exactly what we need and often something better than we expected.

“I would love to live like a river flows,
carried by surprise of its own unfolding.”
John O’Donohue

We become involved in a dance of creation with the universe, and the focus of our lives changes from solving problems where we fear we need to control the outcome, to curiosity about what adventure is coming next.

What’s been your experience? Share with us here.

Best to you~

Diane

Today It Begins

Opening to the joy that is her
Seeing through eyes shiny and clear
Making it one of the best years
Today it begins

Lifting prohibitions that dampen down
The glistening shine from the jeweled crown
Lifting up onto heads all around
Today it begins

What a gift, a fresh start, launching my free heart
Shedding the old to make way for the new
Clearing the path to see better the view
Finding how being drives what I do
Today it begins

© 2010 Words and music by Diane Ingram