Journey of Letting Go
We often perceive life in chapters, where each page holds a story, an emotion, and ultimately a lesson. It’s a phrase often heard or thrown around. The advice to "just let it go" echoes frequently, yet its depth often eludes comprehension.
My tapestry of experiences is woven from a blend of cultures, as the daughter of a Greek father and a South African mother. Living in diverse cities meant frequent goodbyes—each one marking the end of one chapter and the hesitant optimism for the next. Growing up in South Africa, I was privileged to witness the nation's post-apartheid transformation—its struggle and emergence were both tumultuous and beautiful.
As I’ve settled into each new chapter of my life, there's been a notion of 'letting go,' as if it were a singular event, like cutting a ribbon or taking flight for the first time.
But in reality, my experience has been, that letting go is less of a grand unveiling and more of a gradual metamorphosis. The micro-moments. A series of small surrenders (shout out to my yoga practice) and consistent courageous leaps. This cycle of uprooting and resettling taught me that letting go is not just an event, but a practice. One that requires emotional agility and courage.
But as life would have it, my understanding of letting go was to deepen in ways I could never have foreseen. It wasn't until I faced the irreplaceable loss of my father that I fully comprehended the depth of this term. A trauma, that turned my world upside down. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to experience.
Grief, much like letting go, isn't linear. It doesn't follow a map or a predictable trajectory. Instead, it ebbs and flows, sometimes washing over you when you least expect it.
This week marked twelve years since my father’s passing. At times the pain is as fresh as day one, but with time, it mostly transforms into a deep sense of gratitude for his enduring lessons and love.
Captured beautifully by this Gwen Flowers poem:
GRIEF
I had my own notion of grief.
I thought it was the sad time
That followed the death of someone you love.
And you had to push through it
To get to the other side.
But I’m learning there is no other side.
There is no pushing through.
But rather,
There is absorption.
Adjustment.
Acceptance.
And grief is not something you complete
But rather, you endure.
Grief is not a task to finish
And move on,
But an element of yourself –
An alteration of your being.
A new way of seeing.
A new dimension of self.”
-- “by Gwen Flowers
More than a community, FutureWomenX offers a sanctuary where my narrative found echo and empathy. Through FWX, it became clear: 'letting go' is not about erasure but about growth, acceptance, and transformation. The magic lies in shared healing. There's strength in unity and resilience in introspection.
As I look back on my journey, I find solace in the solidarity that FWX provides me. A tribe that stands as a testament to the universality of human experiences.
I invite you to reflect on your personal “journey of letting go":
What moments have sculpted and morphed you into the person you are today?
How can you reframe to see abundance?