Language of Letting Go - Sept. 26 - Feeling Protected
 

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go

Feeling Protected

Our task is not a naive one of feeling safe, of living and loving in a utopian world. One woman commented that our task is making ourselves feel safe while learning to live and love in a world that is unsafe.

We do not want to dwell on the danger for that gives power to the negative. Neither do we want to ignore them or pretend they don't exist.

If we were going to sunbathe, we would not be naive about the dangers from the sun. We know that harmful rays can burn. We would take steps to protect ourselves, so that we could enjoy the benefits of the sun.

That is our task in recovery.

This is what a woman, a helping professional, told me:

Picture a sunscreen surrounding you. Place it around yourself - not too heavy and thick so no light can penetrate, and not so thin that you are exposed to danger.

See yourself protected by a sunscreen that is effective. Make certain that the screen is open to the good. For a while, your screen was too heavy. It held back what you wanted. Now change it to let the good come through.

This is your screen for life and the world. See it. Imagine it surrounding you always. It wraps you in love, in comfort, in protection. No harm can enter. No negative energy can penetrate the screen.

Go in peace; go in safety. Go now, knowing you are protected. Go anywhere you need to go. The evil has been blocked; the goodwill comes pouring forth. You do not have to work so hard at protecting yourself. You can relax and enjoy life trusting that you are safe. Go without fear, for you are wrapped in love and protection. And you shall always be.

Today, I will envision myself wrapped in a shield that blocks the negative and harmful rays of the world, but it is constructed so that the good can enter.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.

It took me a long time to let go of the fear, feeling that if I did let go I would leave myself vulnerable. Well, guess what? We are all vulnerable anyway and living in fear doesn't change a thing.

I can't stop lightening from hitting my house, but I can take down the metal weather vane and keep a fire extinguisher handy....and then enjoy the thunder and light display of the storm. The storm will pass, whether I live in fear or not. It always does.

Just for today I will put my sunscreen on and enjoy the warm autumn day.

Hugs