The Strings in My Hands

I am a great balloon lover. When I was a kid , I used to pester my uncle for all these colourful balloons the balloon seller had with him. As I grew up, I did not get many of the balloons that I coveted. What do big kids have to do with balloons?That is the usual reply the adults give.
Then kids came along. Mine and others'. It was fun, I could buy the balloons. I could play with the balloons along with them. When I was a kid and when I was with kids I held on to the balloons and hated it if it floated away. I keep wondering what it is about balloons that keeps me spellbound and fascinated. The colours? The feeling of almost being in the air?The feeling that we are in control? I don't know.
I suppose it is the same as holding on to all the things that are dear to us in life. People mostly and values, may be some material things too. How long can we hold on? How do we know when it is time to let go?
It is difficult to decide, and I suppose the knowledge comes with time and experience." Letting go", what a word. But we do it all the time, don't we? When we get married we let go of our family and move on. When we get our children married, or when they go away for work or studies, we let them go. When people die , we let go of them for ever, though some believe they have gone to a better place. A place where we will ultimately meet some time in the future.
So if it is so difficult to let go of a colourful balloon, how much more difficult it would be to let go of people who are near and dear to us. People who have been with us and people who have loved and cared for us all their lives and our lives?
Sometimes, we do take so many of these people for granted that only when the time comes to let go do we realise the presence of the person.
However, when we let go, we part with a small bit of ourselves, a bit which may not ever be replaced. But is it not selfish of us to just hold on and on? After all each one has a life of their own, when you let go you free them from bonds.Bonds that were helpful at one time, but redundant after some time. Bonds that keep us tied emotionally,bonds that deter the growth of both individuals.
So now I believe, however painful it may be, let go . Who is it who said
If you love her let her go
If she loves you
she will come back
If she doesn't
she never loved you anyway.
All bonds and people are like balloons, I suppose I must just let go of the strings and watch as they soar high in the sky. Colourful balloons against the deep blue sky, on its own uncertain journey to far off places, and hope that some day they return. In the process making themselves and us better persons.
For after all man lives on hope, faith and love!!!!!!!