HOLDING ON LOOSELY
Helicopter parents. Control freaks. Perfectionists. Intolerants. Over-consumers. Social media junkies. We all fit in there somewhere. Read one woman’s stories of clinging, turning loose, and becoming free.
We are overly busy helicopter parents, control freaks, perfectionists, intolerants, over-consumers and social media junkies–who worry, fear, laugh less, and always want more. In the midst of it, we wonder what it would feel like to open our hands and turn loose of all of it.
In HOLDING ON LOOSELY: Opening My Hands, Lightening My Load, and Seeing Something Else, author Dana Knox Wright tells stories of one who is hardwired to cling. To her children when they asked for a blessing to go. To someone else’s ideas, when she didn’t trust her own. She held on to prejudice when she would tell you she didn’t. She shut down for days while clinging to fear. She clung to youthfulness as if what would come next couldn’t be her life’s cherry on top.
In a particular season of her life, she recognized her bent to possess, to keep, to hold tightly, and to control was completely contrary to Jesus’ example. This is one woman’s history of holding on and her stories of turning loose–stories of the gentle and firm, humorous and heartbreaking ways God led her to turn loose. It is living minimally from the inside out.
MY REVIEW
We all do it – we hold on to something or someone just a little too tightly. While I have tried to live my life “loosely” holding on, I have not always been successful. While I was never a helicopter parent (ok my kiddos – you know it’s true!) and I am not a collector of things (except a few very special things) I do tend to mentally hold on to things.
This author takes you slowly through the logic, or lack thereof, of holding on and the advantages of loosing your grip. Maybe its because this reviewer has also seen 50 pass by but I could identify with the author’s point of view and manner in which she is releasing things in order to live a fuller life.
One of the sections that I found myself nodding along and agreeing with was the one on the convenience and advantages of our virtual world. Ms. Wright makes a lot of observations that I have also seen. No longer do people take the time to make eye contact and initiate a conversation. Now most people, when they have a moment where they have to wait, immediately pull out their phone and start scrolling. Are we losing the ability to communicate and engage? She calls it “blind to each other” and makes some very valid points about our ability to empathize being in jeopardy.
With personal anecdotes, this author provides a plethora of reflections and considerations. My very favorite section was The Parable of Vinegar. The author compares the clear liquid to water – until you taste or smell it. Looking deeper, seeing more in not just liquid but in your choices in life and your dealings with friends and acquaintances can impact your world of so many layers.
Side note to the author – if you are ever in Austin “doing whatever you want” give me a yell as I am also trying to live my life doing whatever I want! And you know what? – I won’t even care what other people are thinking about us and I’ll share my Contemplation Rock (it doesn’t have a plaque either)!
one overnight stay at the Llano Line Shack.
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10/12/21 |
Excerpt |
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10/12/21 |
BONUS Promo |
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10/13/21 |
Review |
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10/13/21 |
Scrapbook Page |
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10/14/21 |
Review |
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10/15/21 |
Guest Post |
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10/15/21 |
Review |
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10/16/21 |
Author Interview |
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10/17/21 |
Excerpt |
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10/18/21 |
Review |
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10/18/21 |
Top 8 Quotes |
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10/19/21 |
Author Interview |
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10/20/21 |
Audio Review? |
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10/20/21 |
Guest Post |
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10/21/21 |
Review |
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10/21/21 |
Review |
Jennie Reads 
I love a book where you are nodding along with the author and finding those common denominators. I felt the same way listening to this book. Wise lady! Thanks for sharing your thoughts & a great review.
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