Just occasionally life brings us a special, unforgettable moment that we wish we could preserve for ever, safe from the ravages of time. But, of course, we can’t, and, if we try, it doesn’t take long for what was sweet to turn us sour. Life moves on, and we must move with it. We cannot cling to the past and we should never try. If happiness is to be more than just the occasional fleeting moment, we must learn to let go and share it with others, instead of jealously guarding it as if it is our possession. This session, taken from my early book Are You Listening?, explores the point further.
I had it
Read
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21
Reflect and pray
I had it, Lord –
for a moment it was in my grasp,
the happiness I’ve always dreamt of.
And I thought it was secure,
locked carefully away,
never again to elude me.
But it disappeared,
here one minute, gone the next –
like a butterfly dancing on the breeze,
like a dream vanishing on waking,
beautiful yet tantalising,
full of promise yet failing to deliver.
What happened, Lord?
Did I let go?
Was I caught off guard?
Was my back turned?
I don’t think so, for I was determined this time,
resolved that, after all the disappointments,
the burst bubbles,
the false dreams,
this time I would keep hold, come what may.
But it’s gone, Lord,
vanished without trace,
and I’m begging you with aching heart:
help me find it again.
My child,
I’m sorry, but you haven’t understood.
You can’t store happiness.
It’s not something you can preserve or cling on to,
polishing it every so often
to keep the sparkle bright –
if you try that, you will surely lose it.
You must live one moment at a time,
celebrating it for what it is –
and then move on to the next.
You must take each day I give you,
rejoicing in what it brings –
and then let go.
If you want happiness to last
you must share it with others,
not hoard it away;
you must give it gladly,
not keep it to yourself.
That’s when you’ll find what you’re looking for –
when you realise happiness isn’t a possession
but a gift,
that life is not a destination but a journey.
You may wish you could stop the clock
and keep things as they are,
but you’d soon grow tired, believe me,
the precious jewel you think you hold
soon tarnished by familiarity.
So no more grieving,
no more regrets.
You imagine you’ve let something wonderful
slip from your grasp,
but you haven’t;
you’re still holding on, refusing to let go,
and that, I’m afraid, is the problem.