Dear Jessica Brennan,

Despite the fact that a line in the sand often comes from a time of intense frustration, when there appears to be no option but to, in fact draw that line and say “enough”. There is something incredibly liberating about finally picking up the stick and dragging it across the beach of a situation.

Finally, after no doubt hours and days of deliberation, saying that you’ve played your last card, really leaves the outcome up to someone or something else, and you can then move on with life without investment in what was driving you up the wall. We know that the source of suffering is trying to maintain control of outcomes in a totally random universe, so perhaps we should learn to draw more lines.

In the words of Cat Stevens:

Well, if you want to say yes, say yes
And if you want to say no, say no
Cuz there’s a million ways to go
You know that there are

For me, the hardest thing has always been the part that says: If you want to say no, say no.

It is my nature to try to say yes, to try to fix, to try to accommodate, but sometimes this is absolutely the wrong choice of the million ways to go.  I have always liked to say yes because it is creative and open and allows for further development. No, is shut down, final and feels dark. What I am finally learning though, is that you have to shut some things down if you’re going to leave enough space for the big yeses. You have to be final, turn the lights off and walk away from what isn’t serving you in order to create in a bright space.

And if you want to be free, be free
Cuz there’s a million things to be

Love,

Mum xo