“Everything in life opens and closes, sheds and renews. We are no different.”~ Mark Nepo, poet and author
There are moments in life when change arrives like a lightning strike; sudden, uninvited, shattering what we thought was solid. And there are moments when change comes quietly, through a conscious choice to let go. Poet Mark Nepo names this truth beautifully: “We are broken open, or we willfully shed.” (Seven Thousand Ways to Listen)
Both paths lead to transformation. One is thrust upon us; the other requires courage by choosing to let go of that which no longer serves us at the emotional level.
Being broken open often follows loss, illness, disappointment, or the slow accumulation of exhaustion. It can feel raw and disorienting, as if the ground beneath us has shifted without warning. Yet these moments crack us open to deeper awareness, of what matters, of what no longer fits, of the wisdom our bodies and hearts have been whispering all along.
Willfully shedding, on the other hand, is an act of conscious choice. It is choosing to release patterns, roles, beliefs, or habits that once protected us but now restrict us. It is deciding, before life forces our hand, to soften, to simplify, to step into a truer alignment.
Nepo reminds us that this letting go is not a failure of being human but the absolute essence of it.
In the body, we see this constantly, cells regenerating, breath expanding and releasing, muscles strengthening through cycles of stress and rest. Wellness is not about staying intact at all costs. It is about staying responsive.
This week, I invite you to reflect gently:
Where might life be breaking you open?
What are you ready to shed to lighten the load intentionally?
Both are doorways. Both are teachers. And both, when met with compassion, can lead us to a powerful opening of greater possibility.
Stretching alongside you,
Amy
