Sharing an excerpt from a year-old blog post of my son on "letting go" . . .
Bitaw 2011
Bitaw has been a word I fell in love with ever since Sir Bob used
it in Th141 class. It captures within its one word such depth and
clarity. It refuses to be vague or unsure, but exerts such a persuasive
force that reminds us that life is not just about the things we hold on
to, but the things we let go as well.
Funny how the first thing I think of when I was writing the previous
sentence was the song, "Love is like a magic penny. Hold on tight and
you won't have any." but if you "lend it, spend it, give it away, it
comes right back to you."
I've held on to a lot of things for far too long I guess. And 2011 was
actually my chance to truly let go. But I didn't take that opportunity
at all. Rather, I spent most of 2011 holding on to most things that I
should have moved on from a long time ago.
And it's the same with love. Falling in and out of love for a couple of
years with practically the same person made me realize that maybe you
really just have to quit it sooner or later. There is such a thing as a
hopeless case, and this year, I've begun to accept that. I'm been in
withdrawal ever since, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I am
really happy to have come to terms with it as well. Tsuruko, from the
anime Ano Hana, was right all along. "I love Yukiatsu, but Yukiatsu
would never choose me."
I learned this year about a lot of things about
letting go that I think I am a stronger person coming into a
new year. I've grown as a person who is able to let go finally. I can finally be at peace, not so much in giving up on the
various attachments I have, but reminding myself that those attachments
were a part of me, and they are still somewhere in my heart, but at this
point, I can't let these things anchor me down. It's good to know where
I've been, but that's not really a nice place to stay in.
Not just that, I felt like I'm starting to finally establish myself as
the person I really want to be. I'm becoming more sure of myself as a
theologian and as a teacher. I've also started a new hobby, cooking and
baking (I do make a pretty mean rhum cake. And don't get me started
about my Shepherd's Pie).
So I guess, all I can say to 2011 is...
handa na ako bumitaw. Here's to letting go and letting God. Happy New Year and God Bless!
