As I watch my nephew taking his steps towards his independence, I am struck with the battle we all struggle with between holding on and letting go.

Just by watching Henrik, I find a metaphor for those battles inside myself.

From the simple holding on to the pinky finger to feel safe- to letting go of the perceived safety net and taking those steps…

To finding simple treasures and admiring them for a moment, enjoying the lift the experience gives, then flinging them back…

To voraciously holding on, ingesting all that life has to offer, feeling grounded in the holding on to the known, seeking more by grabbing more, collecting no matter what or how…

To just observing life and death and its wonders, allowing, flying, being light…

To revisiting and redoing, reassessing, keeping, holding, allowing…

Breathing through the fear and blocks…

And drawing through it.  Always drawing through it…

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. ~Havelock Ellis