It’s 8:36pm on a Thursday night and I find myself glued to the TV screen that’s playing "Sex and The City" reruns with my two new boyfriends, Ben & Jerry, while I’m trying to get over my old ex-boyfriend. The episode begins to disappear for a commercial, and what I see next captivates me more than Carrie’s complicated love interests: The new app, “LetGo." The app allows people who are looking to discard unwanted possessions to post a picture on the app of the object, and then wait for other users to post bids on the item. It’s an innovative app for people who are ready to move on, and it allows them to let go of things that no longer mean anything to them. As I’m watching this, I can’t help but think to myself, “So where’s the update that lets me post a picture of my ex-boyfriend to let some other girl take him into her life?”
Seriously though, it’s so easy for us to let go and move on from old furniture, belongings and possessions, but it’s so difficult for us to let go of past relationships, experiences and places that bear so much hurt. Anyone who is journeying toward a new path in their life, whether it be college, employment or a relationship, knows how exciting the thought of being able to move on is. However, if you’re like me and you’ve been hurt, it’s hard to move on to something new when you can’t let go of something that’s hurt you.
For the past two years of my life, I was in love with someone who was more fluent in empty promises than he was in English. I’ve tried to “move on” countless times, only to find myself more hurt when I saw a Snapchat story of him with another girl. It’s easy for us to move on. Anyone can get dressed up and dance the night away with their best friends, while flirting with cute boys who happen to be in your line of vision. But we all know that feeling at the end of the night when you check your phone and he still hasn’t called you. You feel hurt, disappointed and frustrated, because you realized you haven’t moved on anywhere.
That’s where I think we need to improve. Moving on is so much more than just ignoring your pain and being ignorant to your feelings. We have to learn to let go, too. Letting go is probably the most important, yet challenging part about starting something new. It requires us to forgive the people who hurt us, forget about our mistakes and find solace in wrongs done against us. You can act like you’ve moved on all you want, but if you don’t let go of the past, it will perpetuate its existence in your future.
So, to everyone who is beginning a new chapter in their life, and especially to the class of 2016 (which I am very lucky to be a part of), it’s time to let go of our past disappointments. We’re beginning a new chapter in our life, and we can’t let the same cast of characters create a pitfall for our new story. The world belongs to us, and there’s millions of other people, places and opportunities that are waiting to be loved and conquered. Who knows what you’ll be able to move on to...The real love of your life? The college of your dreams? Or the ingenious idea of creating an update for the “LetGo” app that has an ex-boyfriend tab? It’s all up to you...and your ability to truly let go.
