I was writing in my journal the other day about the mixed emotions I feel as my daughter becomes a Senior in high school.  I am both so proud of her and yet, along with it, I feel a nostalgic emptiness.  I realized that I was beginning a mourning process for the eventual day, now just a year away, when she would be leaving for college.  As I read back through my words, it wasn’t until the second time through that I noticed a misspelling.  Instead of “letting go,” I had written “letting grow.”  It made me smile to acknowledge just what my inner Wise Mind was telling me.

There are so many types of letting go that we must do.  Sometimes we make the choice to let go of things as we move on to something new.  We choose a new path and, although it still may be difficult, we have the strength and the motivation to open ourselves up to a new challenge.  Letting go helps us stretch ourselves in the direction of our goal.  We create space in our lives to meet new people or learn new skills, or just have some time and opportunity to get to know ourselves better.

At other times in our lives, circumstances make it necessary to part with someone or something before we want to.  We are suddenly faced with a loss we feel unprepared for.  We must go through a long grieving process and come to terms with just how our world has changed.  Our lives can feel disorganized as we try to hold on to what we had. In fact, the letting go may not follow until a long time after the actual loss.  But usually when are ready to make the choice to let go, growth happens to fill the void.

As in the case of my daughter, I know that her transition to college will be a huge loss for me, but it is an important one for her growth.  She’ll be challenged and stimulated by a new life and more complete independence.  It will also be a period of growth for me as I have more time for myself and my husband, and more space in my life to take care of my own needs and interests.  I certainly will miss our times watching romantic comedies or the closeness I feel with her when I help her with an English assignment or we cook together.  But I have to trust it is time for our relationship to develop into something new.  Trying to hold on to how things have been will only get in the way of the opportunity to enjoy the change and be open to the positives that may come with it.  And if I’m smart, I will listen to my inner wisdom.  When I let go, I also let grow.