Letting Go: Finding Freedom in the Present

My time on this earth is only 70 to 80 years. What about the rest of that time? Some believe life ends with death; others believe that after death, one goes to heaven or hell; still others believe in reincarnation based on the karma one has accumulated.

When I was in sixth grade, I asked my grandfather where we go when we die. He said he didn’t know, but he passed away the following year. I’m sure he found out the answer the next year, but he didn’t come back to tell me. We can only know the answer once we die, but one thing is certain: it doesn’t seem like death is “the end.” We might go to heaven or hell and stay there forever, or we might live through reincarnation over countless eons of karma. No one can prove any of this; it’s a matter of personal belief.

The important thing is that death isn’t the end. I feel that even within the same physical space, there might be overlapping realms invisible to my eyes. You know, like how people on the same wavelength can see each other, or spirits can see each other—things like that? Anyway, the “spirit” of my existence as “me” definitely exists—whether I’m in heaven, in hell, or continuing to cycle through reincarnation and returning to Earth to make choices.

When I think of it that way, the time I’m living right now is truly brief. Compared to the eons of karma or “forever,” the time I have to live now is a mere 70 or 80 years. It’s shorter than an ant’s hind leg, and in the grand scheme of time, it might be just the blink of an eye—the time it takes to come to Earth and leave again.

Yet, humans cannot let go of their “greed.” Perhaps it’s because there are so many things we want to have and do during this brief time we’re here. When I was working on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania, I remember hungry children staring blankly at me as I ate dinner at restaurants. Every profitable business was run by the Zanzibar leader’s relatives in partnership with foreigners, while the majority of the population lived in poverty. When I left Africa, I was lucky enough to fly first class thanks to a company upgrade, but there were two couples who had paid for those very expensive tickets out of their own pockets. One was a couple from that region.

Especially as we get older, we should prepare to let go, declutter, and give generously—but as humans age, their greed and desires only grow. I think that’s because we accumulate more possessions as we get older. It seems there are more things to protect and more things to cling to. Greed is the root of suffering and distress. Why should we foolishly live in this suffering during our brief time here? We should live happily.

I think a life of “possessionlessness” is the path to true freedom—a way to break free from worldly worries and the shackles of reality. It’s a truly wonderful life where the more I let go, the more my soul is filled.

None of us can prove what happens after death, but just in case, it seems wise to live generously—letting go, giving, and accumulating good karma or preparing for heaven. Let’s do our best to live fully in each moment by emptying our hearts and hands, without clinging too tightly to anything at all.

09/13/2020 by Dr. Lan Joo