The little novice monk asks his master out of his curiosity:
- Novice Monk: Master! How does it feel to let go of someone you love so much?
- Master: Ah, my young one… Letting go is like deleting a delivery address from your phone. You remove the information, and you add someone new to the list, but they can only see the details, they can’t truly connect. At first, it felt regretful. You wonder why you had to let go, why things couldn’t stay as they were. When you think about it, you feel completely unwilling to let go. But in the end, it’s all about love—the kind of love that grows with understanding, not attachment.
- Novice Monk: With such sadness, why should we let go, Master?
- Master: It is painful, yes. But there is wisdom in this pain, my student. You see, there are so many words we never say—patience we never express, repression we never release. We endure these things for far too long, and eventually, we stop caring. The disappointment grows, again and again, until one day we can no longer ignore it. Everyone eventually comes to the realization, after repeated disappointment, that it’s time to let go. It’s just like a rose that blooms—it must also wither. The beauty fades, and the petals fall. What remains are the lessons and the memories, but the attachment itself becomes redundant, unnecessary.
- Novice Monk: But Master, isn’t it hard to accept that? To let go of something that once brought so much joy?
- Master: Yes, it is difficult. It’s hard to accept. But the pain of holding on becomes greater than the pain of letting go. Just like when you try to hold on to something that has already slipped away, the more you clutch it, the more it escapes you. And when you finally let go, you realize that it’s only through release that you can find peace and grow again.
- Novice Monk: So letting go isn’t about forgetting or losing love. It’s about finding freedom and peace?
- Master: Exactly. Letting go isn’t about erasing the love you once had, but about recognizing that holding on to something that no longer serves you only keeps you bound. True love, true peace, comes from within. And sometimes, the only way to nurture that love is to release what has already faded, allowing room for something new to grow.
Letting go of someone you love deeply feels like an emotional storm, a mixture of intense sadness, regret, and confusion. It’s as though you’re deleting an address in your heart where love once lived, and yet, no matter how many times you remove it, the memory lingers. The idea of cutting off a piece of your soul feels impossible, as if love should be enough to hold everything together.
Over time, you realize that love alone doesn’t solve the growing distance, misunderstandings, and unresolved disappointments. The heart, burdened by repeated letdowns, eventually becomes numb. Patience fades, repression builds, and all the words that should have been spoken remain unexpressed. This silence slowly shifts love into something that feels like a battle, fought silently within.
In moments of reflection, you understand that holding on to someone who is no longer emotionally connected becomes more painful than the act of letting go. Just like a rose that inevitably withers, some relationships are meant to transform, no matter how hard we try to preserve them.
Letting go, despite the unbearable sorrow, becomes a necessity. Things that can no longer be sustained, like love that fades into separation, become redundant—not because they never mattered, but because they can no longer bloom in the same space. In the end, letting go is not about erasing the love or denying its significance. It’s about understanding that love, like a rose, has its seasons. Even when it withers, its beauty remains in the memories it leaves behind. The hardest truth to accept is that some things are meant to bloom and fade, but in releasing them, we find the strength to heal and the space to grow anew. Though the heart may ache, it learns to carry both the pain of loss and the grace of having loved.
“Nothing is permanent except change” – Buddha
Everything in life is impermanent—joy, sadness, attachment, and even the people we hold dear. As hard as it is to accept, this impermanence is a fundamental truth. Letting go, though painful, is a way to align with the reality of the changes. It’s not about forgetting love or diminishing its value, but about recognizing that all things, including love, follow the flow of time. It creates room for healing, personal growth, and new experiences. When we hold on tightly to something that no longer serves us, we become stuck in a cycle of disappointment and unfulfilled expectations, preventing ourselves from moving forward. By understanding that “nothing is permanent,” we begin to realize that change is not just about loss—it’s also about opportunity. When one chapter closes, another opens. The emotional space left behind after letting go is fertile ground for self-discovery, new relationships, or even a deeper understanding of love. Just like nature renews itself after the rose withers, we too can find renewal and growth after heartbreak.
The impermanence of life, though bittersweet, is what allows us to evolve, adapt, and ultimately become stronger. The pain of loss may be sharp, but it clears a path for new beginnings, for fresh start, and for a greater sense of peace.
I wish you all a wonderful day, filled with peace and clarity. Don’t be afraid to let go if that’s your only option. Let the past be your guide.
