Relationships. Letting go!

Posts : 111 Join date : 2013-07-08

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Relationships. Letting go!

Relationships are not easy - the best of them go through a rough patch before settling down to a comfortable level. Every time I read the battles people are waging on relationship fronts, it disheartens me. I have had my share of them as well and still continue to have. No, I do not have any solutions but I do firmly believe that a simple shift in our thinking, a simple step in braveness to assert in what we believe, a simple deed, a simple heartfelt word can make a difference to us and to others. The effect may not be immediate, but it will all add up eventually. I do remind myselfquite often though that many a time, the way people react is not because of us but because of who they are or what they are going through - may be.

I have the habit of picking up certain books randomly and browsing randomly as well - seeking the wisdom or insight the page has to offer. In the recent past, I have been picking up the book "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle quite often with the same belief that I will hear what I need to hear for that moment /day. So yesterday, this page with this story came up and I want to share it with all of you. I know, I know, may be I have a lesson to learn too.......it did come up after all on the page I happen to open at

Here is the story as it is in the book -

"The inability or rather unwillingness of the human mind to let go of the past is beautifully illustrated in the story of two Zen monks, Tanzan and Ekido, who were walking along a country road that had become extremly muddy after heavy rains. Near a village, they came upon a young woman who was trying to cross the road, but the mud was so deep it would have ruined the silk kimono she was wearing. Tanzan at once picked her up and carried her to the other side.

The monks walked on in silence. Five hours later, as they were approaching the lodging temple, Ekido couldn't restrain himself any longer. "why did you carry that girl across the road?" he asked. "We monks are not supposed to do things like that."

"I put that girl down hours ago," said Tanzan. "Are you still carrying her?"

Now imagine what life would be like for someone who lived like Ekido all the time, unable or unwilling to let go internally of situations, accumulating more and more "stuff" inside, and you get a sense of what life is like for the majority of people on our planet.

I am sure there are things that we can correct and things we cannot. That doesn't mean we have to accept whatever comes our way yet sometimes we do have to accept the way things are! And still yet, none of that means we have to brood and accumulate "stuff". We just have to move beyond and let go! We simply have to learn to live in the moment. Easier said than done, of course!!!