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“Nothing is permanent in this wicked world. Not even our troubles.” ~ Charlie Chaplin

A friend stopped by to chat today. He had noticed over these past few days that I hadn’t quite been my usual, cheery-chirpy self.

And truth be told, though I try very hard to live each day fully and completely within every moment, there are times when this can feel a bit of a challenge.

I had been ‘locked away’ in my thoughts, playing over the words my doctor had said, “We just have to rule out—that there’s not something much bigger at play.”

It’s amazing how quickly our minds can get stuck inside of one small little sentence, and one simple moment in time.

“Oh, I guess you’re right,” I offered, hoping quickly to ‘make right’, “I suppose it is that we all have days just like these.”

You know, I have always believed that there are those special souls among us—who have this gift of finding ‘just the right words.’ And, as if by some divine higher purpose—these bright spirits find their way to us, and even on the darkest of nights, when it is that their words are needed the most.

Do you believe in angels? I think, perhaps, now I do.

Because, only an angel can see straight into our heart—and help us to make sense of it all.

And, as my friend leaned in with the softest of smiles in his eyes, he said,

“Just remember, Tara…the mind, is much like the moon at night; shining equally upon everything, yet clinging to nothing, at all.”

And so, there was my most beautiful message–and an important reminder for days ‘just like these’. I had allowed my mind to grip tightly to a thought, and in that ‘gripping’ I had forgotten how to let go.

Sometimes our minds can be quite tricky this way—in an effort to gain just a bit of our attention, these thoughts can end up stealing the show.

And when our thoughts succeed in pulling us so completely away—we end up blocking out the rest of this most amazing world.

And, in doing so, we end up missing the beauty of the moments that are still here and intended to lift our very spirits—like this one, from a friend who stopped to say, ‘hello.’

There’s a great power, and peace, in letting all of your thoughts just go.

It opens your heart and brings the mind back again to those things that matter most of all.

Like your son spending hours in the snow to create the most perfect Valentine’s day card ever, and on a day when everyone else had forgotten.

Or the sound of your daughter strumming your favorite song on her guitar, as she quietly hums and sings along.

Or, that most dearest friend, who upon hearing your greatest memory in life—used all of his gifts to bring that moment right back here to you.

And, even that pup, with all the mischief he may bring, even he finds a way to lighten the soul.

And, if we close off our hearts—rest assured, we might just end up missing it all.

So, tonight and instead of carrying the weight of these thoughts—I’ll be ‘letting go’ and smiling back at the moon.

I suggest that you let go, and smile, too.

“Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile.

That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile.” ~ Charlie Chaplin

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Ed: Kate Bartolotta