How Do You Know...When to Hold on and When to Let Go?

How do we know when it is time to hold on and when to let go? An oft-repeated cliché says, “You can do anything you want to do if you set your mind to it.” But through spiritual wisdom we come to understand, generally in middle age if not before, that there are certain goals and dreams that will never be a reality. 

9/11 reminds us that there is so much that is not in our control. A certain kind of grief comes as we finally grasp the horizons that will likely define our lives. We realize that long-held hopes and dreams will not come to fruition. Our sense of destiny is shaken as we come to terms with what levels of influence and power are reasonable in our aspirations.

In this experience of powerlessness and grief, we embark on a journey to make sense out of what might appear to be random or chaotic. On this quest, many of us hear the call to wake up and stay awake—alive and aware of our relationships with ourself, with others, and with the Divine. Spirituality is about an intentional, awakened state that reminds us again and again that there is a deeper meaning to life than what may appear on the surface. 

On this tenth anniversary of 9/11, may each of us find new life in the midst of disappointments and grief. May we hold to the truth that all people have sacred worth—not because of what they can produce or their social standing, but simply because they, like we, are human.