I am learning to let go of things I once cherished. This is the hardest part of moving on, being the me who I am now and letting go of who I no longer am. As I use the KonMari method to cleanse my life of those things/energies that no longer spark joy, it is amazing to discover what I am holding onto that no longer serves me in the life I am currently cultivating.

I found a novella I wrote my Freshman year at college and decided this was the time to publish it. Why not? It was ready to go, and when I wrote it the writing department seemed to gasp with amazement that a Freshman had written an entire novella in present tense-back when novellas weren't written that way. But when I started retyping it and changing a few things, I realized that the journey the main character takes is not one I want to rehash.

This novella is part of my history. Some very intense, painful stuff was in there. And I realized I've been clinging to the idea that it needs to be published. But when I realized I didn't want to go on that journey again, it dawned on me that maybe I was clinging to it, but it no longer sparked joy.

Is it okay to let go of those things that once grabbed so tightly to your soul that they were inseperable? Is it okay to say, thank you, novel, even though you once served me in a very amazing and comforting way, and even though you are part of the very fabric of my being, I will let you go now? Yes, I still think the writing is beautiful and the characters interesting, but I know for sure if I go through it all again, I will be re-wounded. For that, I have to say, thank you and goodbye, my dear, lovely novel.