A grandfather & his grandkids sit around a campfire on a cold winters night. The grandkids ask their grandfather to tell them a scary story. The grandfather takes a deep breath, knowing this story could have a huge impact on his grandkids. In the distance, a coyote howls into the deep silence of the forest.
The flame flickers
The moon shines into the cold night
As the grandfather tells his tale
His grandkids hearts drop
As they listen carefully to each word
Our past is not our past
If we refuse to let it go
The wise grandfather proclaimed
The ghosts of the past are real
They are dark creatures
More powerful then any demon
For they torment you
Day or night
They even follow you into your dreams
They steal your joy
Bring endless suffering
These ghosts
Lock you in a jail of regret
“How do you get out of this jail?!”
His grandkids screamed into silence of the night
“It’s simple but difficult” the grandfather proclaimed
The key to your freedom is the power of letting go
If you let go of the attachment, regret, and sorrow of your past the ghosts will disappear into the nights sky
Only to be seen time to time
To guide you on a different path then what led you to your own sufferings
Do not fight the ghosts, that is their fuel
Accept your past with compassion
For the past is gone
This exact moment is what matters
The grandkids slept good in their tents that night knowing that they are not helpless to these ghosts. The grandfather knew his grandkids would most likely have to learn the same way he did, through clinging to his past mistakes of infidelity, lying, and addictions. They will find their own way.
The Narrow Path 