The first time I left my home country, family and friends separation was very hard. However, at that time, I had no alternative. I left with my family to survive and to find a better living conditions for ourselves and our children. It was hard, and it took a very long time to adjust. 

The second time, about three years ago my husband was diagnosed with a kidney cancer and diabetes. He went through surgery for his cancer, and everything is fine afterwards. His doctor told him that he has two options for his diabetes: one to start taking medications, or two, to change his lifestyle & lose about 40 pounds. He chose to change lifestyle, but it was very hard to do it with the level of our community and extended family involvements at the time,  We thought that it would be a long process to educate everyone of our lifestyle change, so we chose the short route. We chose to leave our house, car, business and family behind in Northern California and move to Maui, where we had visited a few times before and loved it. 

The island has all the description of a paradise on earth, as people say, but it also comes with its difficulties being away from any mass of land for about 3000 miles. Long story short, in order to live here for a long term, we had to start our own business so we started with something that we both knew; a service for custom picture framing, and art gallery that consisted of my husband's paintings. Well, that was one of the things on his bucket list; to paint, but he never had the time to do it in California.  

The Transition: 

Oh, boy! The first year was the toughest period of adjustment for me to be away from my kids, granddaughter, and family. For the past thirty years, I called the Bay Area San Francisco to be my home, and now I was out of place and out of my comfort zone. Thousands of negative thoughts crossed my mind to the point that I felt the pain in my body. Every time, my feet touched the ground, I felt the extreme pain on the sole of my feet. I happened to talk to a spiritual healer who told me that your body is responding to your thoughts, and in your thoughts you don't want to be here. That was exactly what was happening to me. She suggested that I meditate to get myself out of this confusion. 

Through practicing meditation every day, I found out that the reason I don't want to be here is not because I don't like this place, but because I was attachment issues to back home, to California. 

The Realization: 

Then, one day, during meditation on the beach at sunrise, I opened my eyes and found the distance between Maui & California to be disappearing. I found myself to be one with the earth. I found my kids to be just across the ocean within my reach. Distance and time were not any limitation. I realized that my attachments are all an illusion of my identity and ego, which are merely mental blocks within myself. 

I found my new home, in Maui, to be as comfortable as my home in California; I felt I had everything I needed; I was surrounded with wonderful, supportive people and felt safe and right at home. I felt that I am at the right place at the right time.  

Whenever I miss them, I close my eyes and envision them being happy and safe. I reach out to them in spirit to be with them since in a spiritual world, there's no space or time limitations.  I envision my daughter wanting me to come back, but my soul told me that she'll be fine. That I needed to trust the universe and have faith that everything will work the way it's supposed to; that no matter how much I think I have control, their life and well being is not in my control at all. Now, I am okay & happy with being away from them. 

I have also grown spiritually to realize that I am an individual, was born by myself and will leave this earth one day all by myself, as well as any other human beings including my children. That, I would not take anything of my possessions and attachments with me when I leave this earth. That there's no reason to get comfortable with any kind of attachment as I know it now that everything in this universe is temporary and in a state of constant change. 

The idea is to let go. Let go of your false identity, ego and attachments which keeps you in your comfort zone and blocks you from experiencing more of what life (the universe) offers you. Let meditation help you clear the way. 

Remember that attachment to anyone and anything is a form of mental block that will prevent you from living your happy and carefree life. Attachments hold you in your comfort zone and you can only live an ordinary life at your comfort zone. Let go, and experience being free! Meditation will help you get there. 

Love,

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What are your attachments to and why you can't let go? Share your story below.