The Art Of Letting Go

To live is to learn the art of letting go
In the morning—
you must let go of the bed.
When sickness burns the stomach—
let go of the royal feast.
When the bell rings—
let go of the exam sheet.
When love letters fade,
yellowed, torn, fragile with years—
let go of the past that bleeds.

After marriage—
let must let go of the hands you once held.
When youth drives you afar—
let go of the roof that sheltered your childhood.
Just as daylight surrenders
to the mystery of night,
just as old teeth
yield to stubborn meat—
so too must you learn
the grace of letting go.
The tighter you clutch power,
fortune, glory—
the faster they slip away,
like water through clenched fists.
So, before time deserts you,
learn to let go, my friend.
Or else, when fortune departs,
you will stand surrounded by
a silence too vast to bear.
Instead, fill the purse of your soul
with the wealth of bonds,
the treasure of love,
the peace of kindness.
And let go the poisons—
lust, rage, greed, pride, desire, envy.
Letting go is the only path
to remain whole.

Tagore knew this—
he let go of knighthood,
a protest against injustice.
You too must release
the memories that wound,
the faces that haunt,
the love that still makes you weep alone.
To let a kite rise,
you must release the string.
And one day—
you must release forever
the beloved hands
that once brushed your cheek.

Let go—
of the wounds that never heal,
of the shame that cages your tongue,
of the shattered ties
that bleed your spirit dry.
Some every burdens
are yours and meant to be carried.

Let go—
like Arjuna,
steady-eyed, loosing the arrow.
Like a soldier,
head held high,
faith unshaken.
Like a cricketer,
ignoring the venomous ball
outside the off stump.
Like the brave,
leaving behind rotten ideals.
Like Netaji,
who gave himself
to his country.
Like saints,
who let go of hatred
as easily as breath.

For in the end,
whether king or beggar,
the final release is the same—
earth of the grave,
or fire of the pyre.
All are allotted
the same three and a half cubits of silence.

So learn it now.
Learn it while you live.
Because life itself
is nothing more
than the art of letting go....