Detachment

"Detachment means we care, about ourselves and others.  It frees us to make the best possible decisions.  It enables us to set the boundaries we need to set with people.  It allows us to have our feelings, to stop reacting and initiate a positive course of action.  It encourages others to do the same. It allows our Higher Power to step in and work."
                                                                              Language Of Letting Go, August 21


 I love my brother and I worry about him.  He was harder hit by my mother's death than I was.  He has not been taking care of himself and the problems in his life have been increasing.  His friends are worried about him too.  When he has a problem in his life, he texts me about it.  Immediately I want to solve his problem, but I know that would only be taking away an opportunity for him to solve his own problems.  I have helped him, but I have to be careful not to do too much.  So I have been detaching with love from him.  It is my way of respecting his right to make his own decisions.  It also prevents me from engaging in my own addiction to codependence.  It gives me time to work through my own process.  I am not my brother's mother and he is not a child.  The more he is left to find his own solutions, the more confidence he builds in his abilities to take care of himself.  I have to remind myself that my brother has his connection to the Higher Power just as I do.  He is not alone.