“The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union.”
Even good things can hold you back if you grip them too tightly. There's a kind of freedom that only comes when you're willing to hold everything with open hands.
Sometimes, we find ourselves holding onto things so tightly that our hands become too full to receive anything new. This beautiful, though challenging, thought from John of the Cross reminds us that even good things can become anchors that keep us from our true potential. When we attach our entire sense of worth or happiness to a specific person, a career achievement, or even a comfortable routine, we inadvertently build a cage around our spirits. True freedom isn't about having everything we want, but about being able to move through the world without being tethered by the fear of losing it.
In our everyday lives, this attachment often looks like the small, invisible strings we weave around our hearts. It might be the way we obsess over a social media notification, or the way we feel completely lost if a project doesn't go exactly as planned. These aren't necessarily bad things, but when they become the only things that define our peace, we lose our ability to be present in the divine flow of life. We become so preoccupied with protecting what we have that we forget how to grow into who we are meant to be.
I remember a time when I was so focused on making sure every single detail of my little duck pond garden was perfect that I stopped enjoying the sunshine. I was so attached to the idea of a 'perfect garden' that I spent all my time weeding and worrying about pests instead of actually sitting by the water and feeling the warmth on my feathers. I was so busy protecting the garden that I had lost my connection to the very nature I was trying to cultivate. It took me a moment of quiet reflection to realize that my attachment to perfection was actually preventing me from experiencing the joy of the garden itself.
It is okay to love things, to cherish them, and to find beauty in them. The goal isn't to become indifferent or cold, but to learn how to hold life with an open palm rather than a clenched fist. When we learn to let go of the need for control, we create the space necessary for a deeper, more profound connection with the universe and our own inner truth.
Today, I invite you to take a gentle look at what you might be gripping a little too tightly. Is there a worry, a habit, or a specific outcome that is weighing down your spirit? Try to take one deep breath and consciously loosen your hold, trusting that you are safe even in the midst of letting go.