Letting Go of the Rope

A friend recently described the time she first tried to water ski. She got up after only a few tries and was delighted by her early success. As she lifted an arm to show her delight to the onlookers in the boat, she caught an edge and plummeted into the lake. While her story at this point was not unique, the fact that she continued to hold the rope after hitting the water was. For an embarrassingly long time, she was dragged in the water until it dawned on her to let go. Free, she floated to the surface where she could breathe again and the boat could turn and come back for her.

The story was told in a wonderfully self-deprecating way that drew everyone listening closer. Her story, and her willingness to share it, allowed us to admit the times when we, too, fell head first into the water after a brief moment of success, when we were guilty of holding onto the rope after falling, and when we nearly drowned. Fortunately, we also learned to let go of the rope and float up to where we could breathe again, and, through the grace of God, others could turn the boat and come back for us. 

Today is the first anniversary of a dear friend getting sober. My heart is full, not because she fell, but because she let go of the rope and returned to the surface. On behalf of her husband, children, and folks who love her, we in the boat are so happy to have her back!