Love & let go.

I wouldn’t build a sandcastle longing for it to last forever. Sometimes experiences are meant to be appreciated momentarily. Time enjoyed for what it is followed with a memory that lasts forever.

Sandcastles are fun to build. Prideful to look at. Created with a time bomb, all the while appreciated for their worth. An accomplishment, a piece of work, a symbol of a successful beach day. A collection of sand and water with the help of human touch. Sometimes shared with friends, sometimes focused on alone. A practice of appreciation for the simple things. A cheers to finding and creating beauty.

When those waves come and wash it away, new sand is left in its place. The sand that built the castle gets buried, scattered, shaken around. Still beneath the surface, just reformed and replenished. More to play with and enjoy. New castles will be created. Loved and let go of. Goodness doesn’t have to stay to be valued.

As much as I can anticipate a sand castle being washed away, it still catches me by surprise when it happens. Not everything in life meant to be loved lasts forever. We must be prepared to experience love lost. Lost doesn’t have to carry negative connotation. Lost can mean no longer present. Left in the past. A piece of our timeline with a beginning and an end. Part of our story. Grateful for what it was. A moment salvaged by the ability to not ask for more. Not drain its glory by prolonging its place. 

The idea of letting things flow in and out of our life effortlessly is easier said than done. However, I find it useful to understand this in simpler terms. Looking at less dramatic losses and how they impacted my life. Whether it’s a sand castle, a break up or even a death, there was once joy found together. If all we can do is hold on to that joy, let it be. Feel joyous from time spent, and hold on to those memories forever.

Camps Bay, Western Cape Town, South Africa.