It is interesting that this is the subject that I decided to write about last week. So last week after writing and saving my blog, I tried to log into the WordPress website. I clearly had forgotten the password, answered my own security questions wrong, and got locked out. I tried so many times that I got shut out and was told to wait 30 minutes to get back in. Being as impatient as I am and trying to push the situation, I kept trying. I finally got the message “You are locked out, please wait 30 minutes and try again.” Of course, not waiting the entire 30 minutes I tried again. I then got the somewhat strong message “If you try before 30 minutes you will have to wait longer.” This went on for two days! Clearly, I am a person who struggles with waiting and letting things play out.
It is no surprise to people who know me that I have been struggling this year. Part of that struggle has been letting go and letting things play out. I want to push solutions and answers. For one of the first times in my life, I am in a waiting position. My life is in a bit of upheaval and I don’t know what lies ahead for me. I am struggling with that.
I had heard once (more than once actually) in an Alanon meeting that life is like driving a car on a dark highway at night. You know the road ahead is open but all you can see is what is right in front of you. You cannot see the road ahead, all you can do is trust that it is there.
I talk a good game. God will show you the way, if it is meant to be it will happen, trust the process, and my favorite; God has not taken you this far just to let you fall. The problem is that I believe all those things, but just in case, I want to give God a little nudge, a little help in case he needs it. As we all know, he doesn’t.
One of my all-time favorite movies is “Finding Nemo,” so many hidden messages in that film that clearly are meant more for parents than the children watching.
The movie is about Marlin, a clownfish who loses his wife and is now a single Father to his son, Nemo. Marlin believes that he has to be in complete control and is overly protective of Nemo. He loses trust in everyone and everything, including Nemo.
When Nemo runs away, Marlin must swim across the sea to save him. In the process, he has to learn to trust others and especially another fish named Dory who has memory issues. He starts to see how amazing life is when you stop having to control everything and learn to trust. For a fish who doesn’t trust anyone and has to be in control of everything, this is very difficult. As he learns to trust, we learn with him. We learn to trust people who are trying to help and if we let go and go with the flow, all will be ok.
When Marlin and Dory are swallowed by a whale, Marlin panics. Dory (who just happens to be fluent in whale) tells Marlin, “He says it’s time to let go. Everything will be alright.” “How do you know something bad isn’t gonna happen?” replies Marlin. “We don’t! replies Dory right back. She grabs Marlin and the two of them let go and are thrown back into the ocean.
And with that demonstration of trust, Marlin lets go literally and metaphorically. And what we learn is that the real strength is not in controlling a situation but in the ability to trust the process and let it go, it will turn out the way it should.
Accidental Harmony 