Saturday, May 11, 2013

Prompt #145 – Letting Go


Some people believe holding on and hanging in there
are signs of great strength.
However, there are times when it takes much more strength
 to know when to let go and then do it.

— Ann Landers

In Prompt #144, we wrote about forgiveness and I mentioned the process of “letting go.” In any context, letting go is can be a painful (but sometimes necessary) part of life.  On the flip side, letting go can free us in much the same way that forgiving does. Have there been times in your life when you let something go and felt better for it?

In many ways, the past informs the present, but letting go is about much more than the past. Importantly, letting go is about freeing ourselves from fears, from impractical expectations, from uncertainties about ourselves, and it’s about affirming our value in the world.

This week, write a poem about a time that you let go.

Things to Think About before Writing:
  1. Is there a dream you’ve let go?
  2. Is there a person or group of people you’ve let go? Have you ever ended a relationship that wasn’t working? Have you ever deliberately said “good-bye” to someone or something and felt better (or worse) for having done so?
  3. Has there been a job you had to let go?
  4. Have you ever let go of any personality traits, ways of thinking, old habits?
  5. Has there ever been a hurt or an anger that you let go?
  6. Has there ever been something that you couldn’t let go?
  7. Is there something (or someone) in your life right now that you’ve thought about letting go?
Example:


Note: An alternative prompt for this week might be to look at the photo at the top and to write a "letting go poem" based on what the photo suggests to you.

19 comments:

  1. I really like the way this week's prompt and last week's dovetail. Such thoughtful ideas for us, and the photos are always evocative. Thanks, Adele!

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    1. Thanks, Jamie! I use a royalty-free/public domain photo site for most of the pictures. It's a great resource.

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  2. Máire Ó Cathail (Ireland)May 13, 2013 at 12:10 PM

    This prompt reminds me of an old Irish poem that Mum used to recite when I was a child. Sadly, I can't recall the title or author. Perhaps it was just one of those anonymous old rhymes.

    Máire Ó Cathail (Ireland)

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    1. Maire, I think many of our mom had little "ditties" that they sang or recited to us when we were children. Every now and then something I read or hear triggers a memory. Maybe complete memories aren't as important as knowing that there were such poems and songs.

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  3. Hi, Adele. I wanted to say thanks for all the prompts. I used several of yours during April NaPoWriMo. I thought I'd share a link to my poem from this week's prompt. http://karinwiberg.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/lac-du-flambeau/
    Regards,
    Karin Wiberg

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment and for the link to your poem, Karin! I'm so glad you were able to use some of the April prompts.

      Your poem is a wonderful narrative to which many of us can relate. I especially love this phrase: you assured me that migration was not desertion.

      Thanks again. I hope you'll visit often and share other poems with us.

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    2. A really nice poem, Karin, and Adele is right -- we can all identify with the experience even if our own details are different.

      I remember getting separated from my dad at a ball game once. Your poem called back the memory. After I was "found," my dad made the whole thing okay and stopped for a soda with me on the way home.

      Thanks for the memory.

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    3. Wonderful, Karin! Thanks so much for sharing.

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    4. Thank you, all, for the kind and encouraging words! --Karin

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    5. We learn where we must be by going there; rites of passage present in many guise...your words & tale are wise, witty & uplifting

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  4. ~Thank you for your prompt, which got me out of the doldrums. The little poem I wrote is here: http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/tableau-letting-go/

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    1. Thanks so much for sharing, vivinfrance! A lovely poem, and I'm so glad to know that the prompt helped get you out of the doldrums! Thanks again!

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    2. Thanks, Vivin, for sharing the link to your poem. The conciseness (no unnecessary words) works very well.

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  5. Replies
    1. Right to the point! I love the slightly whimsical undertone to the serious message.

      Thanks, as always, for sharing, Risa!

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    2. Nice, Risa! You always "cut to the chase." This time with a little humor. Thank you!

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    3. St Theresa of Avila Spain is one of my inspirations. Somehow the prompt and she came together! With a smile!

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    4. St Teresa is a wonderful source of inspiration. I love this quote: "To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience." (Saint Teresa of Avila)

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