Last weekend, I helped my father move into his new apartment. It was a day we had been anticipating for quite some time and was a milestone marker in his continued improvement since relocating to Ohio unexpectedly last June.
As we were unpacking, I came across a familiar figurine, fondly referred to in our family as “Father Time”. My first memory of Father Time was from my pre-school years, as he sat on my grandparents mantle. Over the years, my grandparents moved from home to home and Father Time was always in plain view.
I always admired him, but just assumed he had been around forever…so I never asked any questions about him. Even when my Dad moved to Key West 10 years ago, Father Time wound up in my home. I assumed Dad didn’t want him to be broken or misplaced, so he wound up in my basement, well hidden from the shuffle of day to day life.
When my father relocated from Key West to Ohio in June, his memory was still quite foggy, so I was careful to create his living space with familiar objects, one of which was Father Time.
For those of you who may not be familiar with my Dad’s story, he left Key West in June with me, enough clothing to fit into a backpack and his life…no more, no less. It was an unexpected and scary transition. When he arrived in Ohio, he had been diagnosed with vascular dementia and I wasn’t sure he would ever recover, but as of today, he has defied all odds with a miraculous recovery and is very close to his “original” self.
He realizes how lucky he is and knows he has been given a new start at life. He misses his place in Key West and all his belongings that still remain but learned to let go, knowing that the only thing he needed to focus on was his life and his health.
TRUTH When we let go of certain outcomes, our lives fall into place more easily than we can ever imagine.
Ironically, such is the case with dear “Father Time”. After many years of seeing this figurine in different places, I learned that Father Time was actually a gift FROM my father…and I had no idea I was gifting it right back to him.
In the late 60s, my Dad was in the Navy and his travels aboard the USS Intrepid took him all over Europe. During his active duty, he obtained many treasures and memorabilia from those travels, one of which was Father Time. Father Time was purchased in Germany by my father, specifically as a gift for his parents, (who so proudly displayed him on the mantle when I was young). My father released this little figurine almost 40 years prior, with no expectation of return and today, it sits in his apartment as a reminder of many things: his family, his past, his JOURNEY.
While letting go of a figurine is much different than letting go of a bad habit, a toxic relationship or a soul sucking job, the concept is still the same:
TRUTH When we let go of certain outcomes, our lives fall into place more easily than we can ever imagine.
Let go and allow your truth to unfold.
Julie Cline is a Life Coach, Reiki Practitioner, and Speaker, whose goal is to encourage, guide, support, and help heal individuals who want to move forward but have difficulty taking the necessary steps. If you need help to find clarity, confidence, and space to reclaim your life, contact Julie today and apply for a complimentary Heart to Heart session.
