“There are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world, it’s the be ginning of a new life.”

—Author Unknown

Stan was an energetically spry gentleman in his early 90s. There was a twinkle in his clear periwinkle blue eyes, and he always dressed impeccably in a suit, tie and sporty cap.

One day he walked into my office and asked to talk to me. He was feeling very despondent. He had been widowed for five years after 65 years of marriage and was ready to “settle down” again. He declared he still had a lot of “good miles” left in him and didn’t want to travel them alone.

It turned out that he was quite the ladies’ man and had no problems getting dates. His difficulty was that after one or two dates the women he courted didn’t want to see him again, and he just couldn’t understand why. He was truly heartbroken.

Stan invited me to come to his home for dinner so I could see how he lived, thinking perhaps his “honeys” didn’t like his “pad.” As we ate dinner he talked a lot about his deceased wife.

Then, while he proudly showed me through his home, it became apparent what his challenge was. In every room hung photographs of his beloved wife. Her clothes still hung in the closet. It was then that I noticed that Stan still wore his wedding band on his left hand.

Stan had not made space in his mind, heart or home for another relationship, and the women he was courting got it immediately; he was not emotionally available.

I shared my observations with him, and, at his request, we did some prayer work around lovingly releasing his past relationship, as beautiful as it was, in order to create a new future.

I know it was a huge moment of healing for Stan because I ran into him about six months later at the grocery store as he shopped arm-in-arm with his new fiancee.

The wisdom of letting go has been taught throughout the ages. It has been said that there are no voids because the universe abhors a vacuum.

The Tao Te Ching says, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.”

While a quantum physicist could explain it in scientific terms, suffice it to say the moment we let go of something, energy in one form or another must rush in to fill the void.

The operative words here are “let go.” As with Stan, too often we cling so tightly to what “has been” that we don’t create that vacuum for what “can be,” which the universe is waiting to fill again.

While less tangible than material things, thoughts and memories that tie us to the past can truly block our ability to create anything new. Sometimes it’s not just holding on to wonderful memories of the past that keep us from creating a new life today—it’s clinging to old hurts, wounds, resentments, regrets and disappointments.

What might you be holding on to that no longer serves you in creating a life worth living today?

Perhaps it’s time to do some long-needed forgiveness work and be done with the toxic energy of resentment once and for all. Remember, forgiving doesn’t mean condoning past actions—it means setting yourself free to be an open and receptive vessel for joy today.

Perhaps it’s about releasing someone from a monetary debt you know they will never pay. In doing so you are creating a void into which new abundance can flow today. Maybe it’s time to offer a final thanks for a relationship you had in the past that has left its imprint deeply etched upon your heart (either good or bad), knowing that in this release process you are creating that vacuum which draws to you new relationships that reflect the love and passion you hold for life today.

In all of your letting go, know that you are always immersed in the presence of an Infinite Intelligence that put you here for a reason. Your purpose awaits you in every new moment.

Your part is to be open and available to what life has in store for you today and trust the process.

Have faith—let go, open up and step into the void, remembering that as you let go of what “has been” you naturally open to what “can be.” That is the promise of the universe, and its waiting for a sign from you.

Dennis Merritt Jones is a local spiritual mentor, keynote speaker and author of the book “The Art of Being: 101 Ways to Practice Pur pose in Your Life.” Contact him at www.DennisMerrittJones.com.