On the Coast – Families Issue 103 I December 19/January 20 | Page 12
surrender
Summer of
time to love
and let be
BY SARAH TOLMIE
I
t is officially Summer. School is done.
Holidays are here. The weather is
great…I hope. We are busy with
Christmas and New Year’s celebrations
with family and friends. So why does a
little part of me dread all this?
I have to confess, there is a secret
Grinch inside of me that says “enough
fun and frivolity”, “too much good times”,
“leave me alone”! There is a shadow side
of me, my inner killjoy scrooge that
resents the enforced bling and baubles of
Christmas and the chaos and
uncontained consumerism. I mean,
where’s the meaning?
At some point in the silly season, I
begin to get overwhelmed by it all and
crave the return of normalcy. I even want
to get back to work and for the kids to be
back at school. I get agitated by too much
relaxing and socialising. I want my routine
and rhythm which includes healthy doses
of ‘alone time’ and ‘creative space’.
Now I wouldn’t have ever defined
myself as a ‘control freak’, but I think
I might be. It seems that everything
I do is highly diarised, scheduled and
intentional. I need to know why I
am doing something and see a result;
produce an outcome. The whole idea of
having a holiday and relaxing…doing
nothing…is hard for me to surrender to,
but surrender is what I need to do.
Surrender allows us to STEP into
our lives ready to receive, completely
able to manifest and willing to embrace
everything – the good, the bad, and the
ugly – with an open heart. It’s from this
place that real magic happens.
Ok ok I get it, I’m blocking the magic.
I’m trying to create the moment instead
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O N T H E C OA S T – FAM ILIES
of just creating the space to allow it to
unfold, to trust and let things happen. To
just be.
Here is my Christmas wish list:
I really want to be able to lie on the
beach all day and read a trashy novel,
and be ok with that.
I’d really love to declare today a
pyjama and movie day marathon and
not feel guilty.
I’d really love the whole family to have
a…(gasp!)...media-free day. That means
no newspapers or books, no email, no
phone, no TV, no Facebook, no games
or internet of any kind!
I’d really love to jump in the car with
the kids and a tent and have no idea of
where we end up, and feel completely
excited by that.
I’d really love to be able to
spontaneously host a BBQ for thirty
friends and their children and not
spiral into a complete stress and panic.
Normally, of course, any of that would
unhinge me and stress me out badly. And
the huge irony of it all, my Christmas
wish list of ways for letting go, is still
really controlling. I am defining the ways
and means for how I will let go.
Do you find this letting go thing hard
to do too? Does this sound like you? Then
maybe you might like to join me in an
experiment, to love and let be.
For this silly season and holiday
period, each day, I am going to begin my
day with a prayer. Here is my prayer
for invoking within me the Spirit of
Christmas and Summer Holidays. Feel
free to use it and share it:
A Prayer of Love & Let Be
Dear Spirit, fill my heart with
unconditional love for my family and
friends
Spirit, guide me to the people, places,
experiences and events where my gifts
and presence are of best service
Spirit, fill me with grace and faith in the
perfection of the now, so I can fully
participate in the great unknowing and go
with the flow of life and love
Spirit, fill me with generosity and joy so I
can freely share it with everyone I meet
Spirit, fill me with wonder for nature and
gratitude for everything, so I can see the
sacred all around me.
Spirit, relax my body, mind and soul, so
I can be renewed and refreshed to be
present in each moment
Spirit, I give thanks for the blessings and
gifts that are always there to be found.
And so be it.
Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Much
love and peace to you all. Love Sarah
Sarah Tolmie assists people to celebrate, navigate, grow and heal through all their life & love transitions.
Her practice focuses on love & relationships, families & children; life success & fulfilment, illness, death &
grief. As an Holistic Celebrant Sarah creates profound and meaningful ceremonies for all life & love
events. Sarah is also a Marriage Therapist, Bespoke Funeral Director and End-of-Life Consultant. You
can visit her website www.sarahtolmie.com.au and Facebook page at Sarah Tolmie – Life & Love.