Giving up...

I've been taking a truly wonderful e-course offered by the folks at spirtualityandpractice.com: Practicing Spirituality with Pema Chodron. The other day the lesson focused on the lojong slogan that I had also chosen to concentrate on for the duration of the course (40 days): Abandon any hope of fruition. Sounds bleak, huh? But - it is freeing! The lesson related that another way of saying the slogan would be: "Give up all hope," or "Give up" or just "Give."

The "giving up" resonated with me because I read it as giving UP - as in giving my worries and concerns about the past and the future up... to God.

When I can manage to do that I feel an abundance of peace and am able to concentrate on what is right before me. Pretty amazing considering I'm usually concerned about what will happen 6 months from now...

I was reminded of the lesson my flight instructor taught me when I was over-controlling the little Cessna I was learning to fly. He said quietly "Let go of the controls." I thought he was nuts and told him so, but he repeated "Let go of the controls." So I did and was amazed at what happened. All on its own the plane found the level flight I had been struggling to maintain. Found it quickly and easily...just like that!

I can't fix the past. I can't control the future. But by "giving up", I am free to receive the grace that comes from being in the present.

Fully. With immense and joyful gratitude...