Let it Go

I'm taking the time to meditate about once every three days. This isn't the daily practice I wish for myself, but in the spirit of being nice to myself I am focusing on the fact that this is a step in the right direction. I'll get there. My Uncle Cliff has a saying, "Maybe I'm not what I could be, maybe I'm not what I should be, but one thing's for damn sure... I'm better than I used to be."

One meditation that I am finding helpful is on a Sharon Salzberg CD, "Meditations for Love and Wisdom" and it is a short "Meditation on Letting Go". I can't tell you how many times I've heard instructors say, "let it go" in yoga classes. "just let it go", "if thoughts come by, just let them go". Like it's that easy. Is it really that easy for some people? You can just wish thoughts and issues away?
In my head, I'm screaming, "HOW?!" Give me some direction! I want to let SO much go. So.... HOW do I go about this?
This little meditation is pointing me in the right direction. It's just a practice. Practice doesn't make perfect - it makes... practice. It's a practice for life. So, in this meditation you just focus on your breath. And you say, "breath". In "breath" out "breath". Thoughts arise and - here's the magical secret - it's "not the breath". Whatever it is, it's not the breath. So, you let it go and don't attach to it and return to identifying "breath". It's just a practice of focusing your attention.
I feel like I sound like a crazy person, trying to explain this to you. Yesterday, I found myself cutting up vegetables for dinner and saying to myself, "it's not the zucchini" or "it's not the sweet pepper" and (maybe I am a crazy person) but I felt my attention truly more focused on the task at hand and I could even SEE more clearly.