Our crossing of the Gulfo Dulce had been magical: calm blue waters, cloudless skies, brilliant warm sunshine and a personal escort by a pod of dolphins.

The arrival at our destination was like a scene out of Jurassic Park.  The gentle lapping ocean gave way to a 20’ deep black sand beach that abruptly ended where the thick Costa Rican rain forest covered the shore as far as the eye could see.  The skipper of the small boat that transported our family across the gulf pulled the vessel up on the beach in front of a small clearing in the jungle.

We were greeted by our hosts, a couple from California who had moved here years before to start a wildlife sanctuary.  This was a very particular sanctuary that catered only to monkeys: injured or deformed monkeys to be exact.  Spider, Kampuchean and Howler monkeys of all shapes and sizes were everywhere.

Until you have held a docile, affectionate Howler monkey in your arms like a small child you cannot appreciate the wonder of these amazing animals.  This was an experience we would not soon forget.  Most of the day was spent interacting with these incredible creatures.

There was one particular monkey that caught my attention.  While all the other monkeys were free to move around the sanctuary, or within their large enclosures, there was one monkey that was tied to a huge tree.  This Spidey monkey had a 100’ rope tied to its neck, with the other end tied to the tree.  He would climb and swing around his tree dragging his rope with him.

When I inquired what the reason was behind the rope I was told a fascinating story…

The owners of the sanctuary had taken in this Spider Monkey that had been kept on a 3’ leash its whole life.  They brought the monkey to the sanctuary, examined it, found it to be healthy, and then took the leash off.  When they took the leash off, the monkey threw itself on the ground in what appeared to be an epileptic fit.  When they put the leash back on, the monkey returned to normal.

Later they tried a different strategy by cutting the leash and allowing the monkey to run freely dragging its leash behind it.  The monkey had the same violent epileptic-like reaction.

The strategy they had now adopted was to leave a leash on the monkey, but lengthen it to the point where the monkey can climb and swing in the tree even though it is still tied to the tree.  And there he was dragging 100’ of rope around his tree, comfortable in his captivity.

I couldn’t help but see this as a picture of how some people choose to lead and to live their lives.

We can actually become comfortable with our captivity.  We can hold onto false beliefs and the wounds we have endured so firmly that we refuse to let go of them to take hold of the truth of who we really are, and the healing, freedom and empowerment we can have.

In order to take hold of all that we can be and become, we must let go of that which has captivated us.  We must let go of false beliefs we have about ourselves and others.  We have to let go of the offenses we have carried toward others.  We have to let go of the jealousy, resentments, anger and bitterness we have picked up over the years.  We have to let go of unforgiveness.

Too many people are like the Spider monkey tied to the tree on a long leash – they are not experiencing all the life and freedom they can have because they are unwilling to let go of that which has bound them, perhaps that which has defined them.

Don’t be like the Spider monkey on the leash still tied to the tree, comfortable in its captivity, unwilling to let go of that which has kept it captive.

What are you dragging around that you need to let go of?  What do you believe about yourself that limits your ability to lead?

Don’t be a monkey on a rope.