A Beautiful Goodbye: Letting Go With An Open Heart

 

Today, I was reminded that life is too short to waste.

Life is too short to wait, to dwell on sadness and things that didn’t work out.

Life is too short to hold grudges against other people and regret the past.

Life is too short to let the “what ifs” and “if onlys” stop you from being happy.

Two days ago, I woke up to the news that my grandmother had passed away. The night before, I had to say goodbye to someone too.

That’s how unpredictable life is. You never know what happens from one minute to the next.

I haven’t written about something for a while because I feel like I have nothing to write about. It feels like inspiration to write has left me, until this morning. Over a cup of coffee, I asked my mother, “If grandma didn’t die, do you think dad and his other siblings will be reunited like this? Why do people have to wait until someone’s gone before they make time to give attention and care?” Whether or not it will make a difference, all we know is that my grandmother is in her happy place now, looking after all of us.

Then, it hit me. Why do we wait until the moment is over before we appreciate what we have right in front of us? Instead, we worry and feel bad about the things that we don’t have. Why do we wait until it’s too late before we go on that adventure, express that feeling towards someone or let go of the things and people who are holding us back?

I came across this quote from Ernest Hemingway which definitely resonated with me.

“There is nothing else than now. There is neither yesterday, certainly, nor is there any tomorrow. How old must you be before you know that? There is only now, and if now is only two days, then two days is your life and everything in it will be in proportion. This is how you live a life in two days. And if you stop complaining and asking for what you never will get, you will have a good life.”

The past few days have been just downright gloomy because of the people I lost. I don’t want to be sad. I choose not to be. I realized how sometimes, endings are disguised as beautiful beginnings. So much in life is experiential. You may lose something good, but you may gain something better.

Looking at the window now, watching the rain pour and hearing its sound hitting the roof makes me wish for a view of a beautiful sunset instead.

I’m definitely a “look at the sunset” type of person. For me, it is life’s blinding statement that things end to give way to new beginnings. It constantly reminds me that no matter what happens, everyday can end beautifully.

Every sunset is different from the last one.  Each possesses the promise of a new day. And, there are those really special ones. Your own special sunset – the one you took the time to see because you knew that despite the things you have no control over with, it’s worth going there. Even just for once, only to see the sun go down.

It takes your breath away, leaves you speechless and if only for a moment, slows down time. You know it won’t last and there’s nothing you can do but to savor every last bit of that fleeting beauty.

Living life is so much like watching the sunset. Enjoy the moment while it lasts for no one knows when the last ray of sunlight will shine. Don’t control it. Just live life but promise to live it fully. Today is all you can grasp in the palm of your hands. Yesterday’s done and tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet.

Let the sunset be a beautiful reminder that there’s beauty in letting go – in just letting it be.

Letting go can feel like a loss. But it’s not. When you let go, you’re creating a massive space in your heart that’s meant to be filled with joy, love and gratitude. Letting go means opening yourself up to something better, something more wonderful and something you deserve.

I think there’s really never an easy way to say goodbye to the people dear to us. All we can do is to accept the reality of what is and move forward. See the purpose of that painful moment and find peace in saying your farewell with a heart wide open.

Where there is loss, there is always an even greater presence of love.

Let the sunset show you how a beautiful goodbye looks like. Watch it with awe as it unfolds. With the last rays of the colored sun slowly hiding behind the horizon comes the realization that tomorrow holds endless possibilities.

New memories, new people, new love and new happiness await.