We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. Joseph Campbell
Meditation: I remember in my twenties, I was worried that my life would end up in one certain way. I started obsessing about this, as if life would only offer me one single path to take. I met with a wise person at that time who said to me: “Why don’t you just leave it open? It might go the way you fear most, but life might also become what you wish most.” The thought that my life was not pre-determined, but that it was open, was very freeing to me at the time. I was happy to let go. Last week though I was initially not as happy to let go. The past years I have been dreaming about my daughters’ future. I very much want them to spend one year after High School in Germany to get to know my home culture. They are learning German for the next four years, so it seemed logical to me that they would want to spend time in that country to actually use the language. However, one of my daughters shared with me a few days ago that she wants to move to California right away after High School and go to college there. It suddenly dawned on me that the life I envisioned and planned for her might not be the one that she will choose and that will be awaiting us. I realized that I will need to let go in a new way and accept the life that will be waiting for my daughters.
Prayer: Gracious God, when we narrow our view of the future, You are the one who opens our eyes. You are the One who awaits us from the future. Help me trust that my daughters’ future is just as open as mine was. Let me open my mind and heart to more possibilities than one. Let me respect and listen to my daughters’ hopes and fears. Let me become the wise person who is comfortable keeping the future open. Amen
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
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