Let the past pass?

In various places, we read and hear about forgiveness and letting go of the past. Who wants to navigate life with a ball and chain around one’s ankles? Yet, many times we do this without even being aware. I have been reading a different translation of the Psalms, one recommended to me by a friend of the Jewish faith who also describes herself as part Buddhist. The book is called The Complete Psalms by Pamela Greenberg and it offers a new translation of these beautiful prayers and songs.

In the second Psalm, her translation says: “God said to me: You are my child. I give birth to you every day.”

I have been pondering this for several days now. One of my favorite ways to relate to God/Universal Life Force is as Divine Mother. This sentence fits perfectly as all of us being God’s children. But it is the part about being born daily that is truly astounding and rich. This is how to let go of the past totally, once and for all.

We are born daily. Not just in this lifetime. Not just this week, month, or year - daily. What better way to let go of the past both for ourselves and for the other people in our lives. We go to sleep at night. When we awake in the morning, it is a new birth. We can be the child with open eyes, mind, and heart. We don’t have to hold ourselves or others in bondage to what has been. We are free to navigate our world anew with a fresh viewpoint.

And if the day isn’t going so well, perhaps not according to plan, we can go ahead and embrace a new birth right then and there. Let go of what transpired before lunch and start a new day after lunch! This is so freeing - give it a try and feel the ball and chain fall off your ankles! Now on to psalm three.