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The Stream-A Sufi tale about letting go

Writer's picture: Vimida DasVimida Das

Updated: Jul 18, 2020


What do we do when our life suddenly changes? Today, let us visit an old Sufi tale that tackles this topic.


There was once a breathtaking stream that used to flow down a mountain. It took awe-inspiring twists and turns, it gushed through forests and strange lands...exploring every corner, discovering something new every moment. It felt alive, it felt energetic. It was flowing. It was living in accordance with the purpose of its life.


But after some time, it reached a desert. And it could proceed no further. If it moved into the land, the sand enveloped it and the stream disappeared.


“Oh no!” thought the stream, “ what do I do now?”


It tried in all ways but the more force it applied, the more it sunk into the sand.


Then it heard a voice, carried by the breeze. “Let go,” said the voice, “Don’t struggle. Don’t try to hold on. Just trust and let go.”


Then it heard a voice, carried by the breeze. “Let go,” said the voice, “Don’t struggle. Don’t try to hold on. Just trust and let go.”

“But won’t the wind carry me away?” asked the stream.


“Yes, it will,” came the reply.


Now, the stream got even more worried and said, “But...but what if this makes me change ? I don’t want to change.”


“Well, my darling stream, you will change anyway. You could stay in the same place you are, do nothing...but you will still change into bog or quicksand. So the choice is yours- stay there and become stagnant, or let go”


The stream thought about this a long time. But knew that if it did not let go, it would regret. It wanted to know what else was there, it did not want to be stuck in the same difficult position forever. It decided to believe and stop resisting.


And as soon as it let go, the wind bowed down and embraced the stream. It caught hold of the stream. Then, drop by drop, the breeze gently lifted up the stream and it soared through the sky. And then, just as gently, the wind put it down on the other side. Upon a beautiful mountain, that led to lush green plains.


The stream was ecstatic. It felt energized once again. Once again, it traced its path through gorgeous lands, forever grateful that it had let go and its trust had brought it on the right path.


Problems and hurdles are not full stops. They are a part of human life, designed to help us grow as human beings.

Problems and hurdles are not full stops.

If we release resistance, life will take us on the right path, maybe a path very different from what we had imagined, but nevertheless the path perfect for us.

All we need to do is to completely, truly trust this process. Let go.

And life will flow, like the stream





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