Letting Go

'tis our fast intent

To shake all cares and business from our age,

Conferring them on younger strengths, while we

Unburden'd crawl toward death. 

King Lear, Shakspear

George Washington is remembered as possibly the greatest figure in American history, not as much for his great achievements leading the Continental Army to victory over the British against unbelievable odds, but because he voluntarily gave up power, fearing that if he were to die in office, Americans would view the presidency as a lifetime appointment, like that of a king.

George Washington’s September 1796 Farewell Address to the nation, written with the assistance of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, the principal authors of The Federalist Papers, is a must read for every American, young and old.

Unlike King Lear and George Washington, Donald Trump and Joe Biden do not appear to have gotten this message and are still fighting to hang on to power long after the wise would go from Age-ing to Sage-ing, from action to wisdom.

As I enter the final chapter of my life, what Joseph Campbell calls “Returning Home,” I note my own struggles in the delegation of power to my smart and hardworking son Dustin who, in a short time, has proven more than capable of carrying the burden now weighing heavily on me as the years go by. Dustin is now more energetic, in-tune and tech-savvy than I am, and yet why ….

Why is it that we spend a lifetime raising smart and capable children only, when the time comes, to delay the inevitable letting go by hanging on to power, or the semblance to it, longer than we should?!

While the fear of death is ever-present along with the potential of becoming irrelevant, I believe the driving force is the muscle-memory instinct to be in charge, thinking that our life’s work is a house of cards vulnerable to crumbling like so many empires throughout history, without our ever-vigilant shepherding.

As late as five years ago, our members’ biggest fear was our Community’s lack of a succession plan. Now that we have survived the pandemic and reinvented the club with Dustin clearly in charge, nobody is worried about any such succession plans. 

As Washington proved so elegantly, an orderly transition of power is hard, but necessary.

— Sina.