Toys

 The Rev. Nancy E. Gossling    

One of my new and favorite meditation books is called The Language of Letting Go. Two post Christmas reflections encourage “growth” and “moving on.” How apt for my new-year’s resolutions! How apt for our pandemic hopes! It makes me wonder, “How do I let go of this past year, which was filled with personal, familial, and vocational challenges, and move on to yet another year of growth opportunities?”

I like the idea of old toys and new toys. With three grandchildren ranging in age from 3 to 1 1/2 years old, I’ve been learning all over again about toys. Some of the “old” toys are still the best. They have stood the test of time and still deliver! Some are broken and need repair or even the trash. Unfortunately, I’ve discovered that some toys don’t hold my attention any longer. So it is with me and my prayer life. So it is with me and some of my relationships, like with those squirrels at the birdfeeder. So it is with me in discovering new ways to let go, move on, and grow.

Melody Beattie writes, “Just as when we were children and grew out of favorite toys and clothes, we sometimes grow out of things as adults - people, jobs, homes. When we were children, we may have tried to fit into an outgrown article of clothing. Now, as adults, we may go through a time of trying to force-fit attitudes that we have outgrown. What worked last year, what was so important and special to us in times past, doesn’t work anymore because we’ve changed. We’ve grown. We can put away last year’s toys and make room for the new.”

Moving on involves letting go, which involves a process of grief. It can be confusing. There is a rainbow of feelings, changing daily like the news. The reasons for “letting go” and “moving on” are varied; and so the toy metaphor begs me to ask some questions, “What old toys do I need to leave behind in order to move forward? What new toys can I unwrap in this new year?”