There are times to hold on and there are times to let go.
When a loved one's time on this earth is over, we have no choice but to let go. However, we can hold on to all the memories. We can incorporate the best parts of that person into ourselves and go forward a little stronger and better than we were before, having been touched by another incredible life.
Sometimes, it's the past you have to let go of. Life is full of emotional bumps and bruises, you have to let them go. Sometimes you have to let go of the person or reason you got the bump, sometimes you have to forgive and forget; but you have to make the choice and move forward.
Sometimes, it is a way of life you have to let go of. Society evolves, the economy contracts and expands, and it is sink or swim for homes and businesses. But money is stuff and stuff gets bulky and hard to carry and sometimes (most times) we are better off with less of both. The most important things in life can generally be carried on your back or held with your hands or in your heart.
Just shy of half our milking herd is being trucked to the local auction house today. It is a business decision, and a personal necessity. Our lives are changing and the economy really does not favor small farms. It is difficult to devote your life to a business that does little more than break you financially. It is really love of the lifestyle and the animals (and sometimes fear of letting go and/or change) that keeps people in it.
So this week is difficult. It is about letting go of the old and welcoming the new with open arms, whatever it may bring with it.
Yesterday was about letting go. Goodbye Onyx, Lollypop, and Silky. My beautiful girls. I hope they are purchased by people who will love them as I do and treat them well; but there are no guarantees. I will probably stalk them online through the website that manages their pedigrees. That way, I will at least know if they have been classified (and if their scores go up they must be doing well!) and how they are milking (if they are milking well they must be treated well); if the farms that buy them classify their herds and do monthly milk testing. That's not a sure thing, either. I still check in on cows I sold three years ago! Maybe I will be lucky and know their buyers and then I can inquire about them from time to time.
Saying goodbye and letting go... it's never an easy thing to do. Sometimes you shouldn't. Let go when it is the best (and sometimes only) thing to do; but hang on to the good stuff. Hold tight to your memories, keep track of your friends, and cast off the heartache and the burdens whenever possible. Sometimes paring down is good for the soul.
