letting go

Rising like balloons

When I was a kid, I loved helium balloons. I’d get them at amusement parks, the county fair - wherever they were sold. A balloon is not all that remarkable - just some latex, string, and gas. But what I loved most was to let them go and watch in awe as they’d float into the sky and eventually disappear.

I’d imagine the balloon on a journey, rising to heights that, to me as a child, were unreachable. Where would the balloon end up? How far could it go? For a brief moment, I myself could be part of a little bit of everyday magic.

I’ve since learned that releasing balloons into the atmosphere is NOT good for our planet - so definitely don’t do that. However, I’m encouraged by the thought of a balloon slowly rising into the sky, moved by the wind’s suggestion, but ultimately still traveling upward.

I try to think of myself and my path in a similar way when I’m feeling down or discouraged. A balloon doesn’t have to do anything or try to be something else to fulfill its purpose. It is what it is. In the same way, we have everything within ourselves that we need to succeed and achieve the things that we want in life. The components are all there and ready to go.

Sometimes all that we need to fly is to just let go. Let go of the past. Let go of other people’s judgments or opinions. Let go of our fears. Let go of our own unreasonable expectations that we unfairly lay on ourselves. We must allow ourselves to freely be who we are at our very core.

We are all inherently brilliant and beautiful - capable of awe-inspiring moments and striking wonder in the hearts of others. We can create an amazing life. We can shape a better world. Let’s lean into it.