Let it go
This story seemed fitting tonight as I was getting ready for
bed, thinking of all the things I have been working so hard to let go, and
excited for a day of healing this weekend to spend more time facing them.
The trial had been over for many months. Life was starting
to feel normal again. I was fighting hard every day to see myself. I was
overcoming anger and praying for forgiveness. Talk of the past had become less
and less; the kids smiled more and more.
It was a normal day: a trip to Costco, cleaning house,
playing with the two little kids while the big ones were at school. Everywhere
we were that day Kaleeya kept asking me to play Let it go on my phone. Though the new song was a usual request
around our house, I began to get tired of it on this particular day.
Lunch was over and I carried Tytus upstairs for
his nap. As I was leaving his room I noticed Kaleeya had turned back on her constantly
repeated song. I rolled my eyes as I stepped down each stair, thinking . . . Isn’t there another song we could play?
As I turned the corner to enter the living room the music
grew louder as it blared from my phone on the floor. I looked over to my little
dancer who was standing very still—tears were falling down her cheeks. She was
sobbing.
I fell to my knees in front of her, “Sis . . . what
happened, are you ok . . . are you hurt? What is wrong?”
In the loudest, yet most tender, voice I have ever heard she
pleaded for some answers. She sobbed, “Mommy . . . I don’t understand . . . why did he die?
Where did he go? I don’t know why he died. Why do people HAVE to die? It hurts
. . . I just don’t get why Daddy Emmett had to die, I don’t know where he is .
. . or why he isn’t here with us anymore. Teage said a bad guy shot him in the
night . . . is that true? I . . . just . . . don’t know why, I don’t know . . .
why did he have to die? Why did he have to leave us?”
My heart broke into a million pieces and for the millionth
time I took in a breath as I prayed for answers on what to do. I didn’t know
what to say. I was stopped, frozen in the moment—trying to comprehend the
magnitude of her emotional demands of the truth. The music continued to play,
as she stared into my soul for relief from her pain.
For a second I felt trapped—in a life full of new memories, being
pulled back into the pain—a battle I usually fought alone.
The song still played, as her gaze never left mine. Each
word entered my ear and pierced another hole in my heart. She had heard the
words. The music blaring from the phone took on a whole new meaning as I realized
her need for that song was more powerful than the dance . . . it was way more
important than the rhythm or the melody—the words had spoken to her heart.
I scooped up my little girl and rocked her. She put her head
on my shoulder and for the first few seconds she sobbed like I never knew a
little girl could.
Then—without any words to say—I began to sing at the top
of my lungs along with the music . . .
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway
Soon Kaleeya’s
voice joined mine . . .
It's funny how some distance makes
everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can't
get to me at all
Up here in the cold thin air I finally can
breathe
I know I left a life behind, but I'm too
relieved to grieve
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway
Standing frozen in the life I've chosen
You won't find me, the past is so behind me
Buried in the snow
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I'll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway
A song we had played literally a thousand times that week
didn’t just make us want to get up and dance, or sing along. It had called us to
action. And we stood together calling back—pleading for an answer as to how it
could be done.
I have had many times when I have cried through a song—but
that day I shouted a triumph through my tears, with a little girl who felt
broken . . . a feeling I knew all too well.
The song was on repeat. We spent most of naptime singing it
over and over—sometimes softly, and sometimes through our tears and shouts of
anger—but every time with a plea in our heart that we could learn how to let it
go.
I didn’t ever again roll my eyes when it started over and
voluntarily repeated—I heard the words for the very first time and their truth
taught me. Maybe that song was really just about a princess who was learning to
let go of her past . . . but that day it was about a little girl who was
learning to stand.
4 comments:
Wow!!! And Kaleeya is gorgeous!!!
Ever since I read your post 'Please hold me' I have so wished I could just hug little Kaleeya. Please do that for me and tell her how beautiful and special she is.
I love this post. I actually love all of them. Your courage amazes me. Your daughter has quite a hero to look up to!
How is your older daughter doing since she hurt her hands? Have you shared?
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