Saturday, April 2, 2011

Knowing When to Leave

Some things in life drag on, long after they should be over. Others stop so abruptly, we are caught off guard, totally unprepared. In the first, we have a choice in the matter; in the second, we may not. The question is how do we know when it is time to walk away? Is there a clue, or do we simply decide based on reason and logic?

I was driving home the other night, not thinking of anything at all, when what I call “the jury of the deep” suddenly announced a verdict. It was brief (it’s always brief)­—just two words—“It’s over.” Just like that. It’s over.

Let me explain. I’m not talking about a marriage or a relationship, though that has certainly happened in the past. It was something else entirely—a long-term activity I had no idea was about to end. I must have posed the question to my unconscious mind, but I was truly unaware of having done it. Yet, here was the answer: it’s over.

There was no sense arguing with myself. The verdict was unambiguous; and once it’s announced, it’s a done deal. There was nothing to do but accept it and move on. I am always amazed that my brain is so far behind my gut when it comes to knowing the right thing to do. I’m in the midst of the lag time now, waiting for my conscious self to catch up with my inner wisdom. Who knows how long that will take?