Release

It was part of my selection of New Years resolutions...release. Release can be a noun or a verb and that sounds about right for me today. The Free Online Dictionary spends a lot of the definition of "release" as "freedom" or the "act of freeing" and that is where I find myself this evening. Release and freedom sound like very good nouns and verbs.

For quite a number of months now, I've put up with neck, shoulder and back pain. I spend most of my time in front of a computer so I accepted the niggly pain and tried to ignore it. I was able to do so for a long time, but finally, after a particularly personally challenging few months, this pain would not let me go. It was constant and persistent. It was always with me. I kept saying that I would go to the physiotherapist one day and have this pain released, but I never got around to it. Finally, abut 2 weeks ago, I went. The physio looked at me and saw the problem straight away and knew what to do about it. He did his part, but then, in order to have true release from this pain, I had to do some homework. Today, finally, this pain I have been living with is suddenly, nearly gone. I feel a tremendous sense of release from it and a sense of freedom and well being. Here's the thing though....I wouldn't have been released unless I took steps to make it so. I have been released and I feel release. Beautiful. 

I'm thinking this may be true with other areas of my world that need freedom and release. 
There is likely no release without the following:

Acknowledging that there is a need for release
Accepting that there are others involved 
Taking responsibility for making the first step in the journey
Doing the homework involved, even if that's painful or inconvenient 

Whether its a niggly pain or a personal journey of freedom, I think the steps are the same.   
Release and freedom are worthy goals to strive for. Maybe when we have released what we need to, we can truly reach out and hold onto what is in store that is good. I know you can't release and hold at the same time. 

So, wherever you are tonight, I hope that you too will release and find release. 

Here's to a New Year where we can all release in order to reach, and hold onto a new sense of freedom and purpose.