The beauty of connection: The beast of attachment

 I was always proud of the fact that I used to put value into nothing. I liked to think I was someone who could see potential in things others overlooked, whether it was a person, an idea, or even an object. Over time, like everyone I realised that maybe not everything deserves so  much of my energy and care.

Like belle from beauty and the beast, I found myself clinging to things that were long past their prime, thinking I could change them or fix them. I had always tried to believe that with enough attention I’d be able to restore things. For instance, I remember the time my mom had thrown away my favourite teddy because it was torn and with that so was my heart, but it turned out to be okay later, and things will be with time as new things arise.

But I’ve come to understand that connection is not the same as attachment. Connection is warm and freeing, it lets things grow and change. But attachment is different—it comes from fear, from not knowing who you are without the things you’re holding onto. I’ve clung to ideas that no longer inspired me and memories that only hurt, convincing myself that letting go meant losing a part of who I was. But in reality, holding on too tightly only weighed me down, keeping me from embracing what was waiting ahead.

As I watched Belle’s journey, I started to understand. She didn’t fix the Beast by holding onto the past, she instead helped him grow by letting go of the things that were holding him back by embracing the present with all its flaws. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to let go. It was never about giving up things, it was about freeing myself from those links that were keeping me stuck. 

In the end, I learned that holding onto something broken doesn’t make you a believer or a fixer, it just means you're holding onto the past. Sometimes, real growth comes from realizing that some things are just not worth holding onto anymore. Letting go isn’t about losing, it’s about making room for something better because connection is never the same as attachment.