Letting Go... The Franciscan Challenge

Rapunzel and Letting Go

main image

As a child, I reveled in reading fairy tales. Among them was the story of Rapunzel who was gifted with long, golden braided hair, but was confined to a tower with only a window for access. Whenever her prince friend wanted to see her, he would call out, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your long hair.” She would toss her braids outside the window, and up he would climb.

So, you are probably wondering, what has that got to do with letting go?

Sometime ago, I heard a call, not to let down my hair, but to let go of my short, gray, unbraided hair. No prince called, but instead I heard the effects of chemotherapy.

It was a tremendous reminder that while there are things in life that each of us can choose to sort through or remove from life, there are other matters over which we have no control. Actually, I found it relatively easy to go through my CD collection last year in order to donate music that was no longer of any interest. On the other hand, seeing my scalp without its usual covering was a bit disconcerting. I had a choice. Would I accept the inevitable reality or would I mope?

Letting go does have its rewards. Happily, I have been blessed with a great network of supportive friends. One witnessed my tears and said it was ok to weep. Others have supplied me with delightful head coverings that keep my head warm both day and night. Another said that I now look like the Orthodox Jewish women who never show their hair. One complimented that the colored scarf makes me look like a fashionista! A great blessing is that I now have a gift of empathy for other women who have lost their hair. I know what it means to them, I feel their loss. But, I have discovered that in letting go, I have received more than I could have ever expected to receive in return. For this I am grateful.        

Image by Tilixia from Pixabay

Fortune Cookie

main image

Some time ago while breaking open a fortune cookie, I received a “fortune” that was rather surprising. The words on the paper read: “God looks after you in a special way.” Never had I seen a fortune that referred to God or to any aspect of Christianity. Yet, there it was. Was that “fortune” a coincidence, or was that truly a message from the Lord? I believe it was the latter. God was trying to get my attention, and God succeeded. That is one “fortune” I have kept in my scripture book, and one that continues to make a difference in my life!

At times when fear tries to slither its way into my mind, or anxiety attempts to throw me into a tizzy or worry about a problem, thinking about the words, “God looks after you in a special way,” has a way of quieting me down and bringing a sense of calmness that nothing else can. After all, God has looked after me in the past and is certainly taking care of me now. Why could I possibly worry that God will drop me like a hot potato as the future continues to unfold? It is just not going to happen! 

So, I invite you to share in my special “fortune.”  When the future looms at its darkest, and it’s almost impossible to see even a glimmer of light, always remember: “God looks after you in a special way!”

Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash
 

Joy in Sharing Treasures

main image

If maturity requires letting go, then dying to ourselves is the complete letting go of everything. Jesus assures us that the tremendously high cost of letting go of everything is worth the exchange. The Franciscan Challenge (www.fssh.net) calls us to the process of letting go and sharing our valuable things with others. What was this like for me? I had a wonderful hobby for years of making stained glass sun catchers. I recently gave away my stained glass equipment to someone who was just starting that hobby. That made me feel a lot of joy knowing that someone else was using what I valued for years. Also, I had about 20 stained glass angels that I made, and I loved each of them. When this Franciscan Challenge came up, I gave away all my angels to people I knew would treasure them. That gave me a lot of joy knowing that the love I put into them would be carried on by others. We do not have to feel deprived if we give away our “stuff.” It can be very freeing and fill us with joy if we let it.

1234