Let Your Light Shine...

If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.
If you want to eliminate suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself.
Truly, the greatest gift you have to give
is that of your own self-transformation ~ Lao Tzu

As much as I love Maine, and it's four seasons, I have to admit, I have a hard time with losing hours of daylight each day. I find it difficult to transition from being woken up in the morning by the sun shining in my windows, to being jolted awake by a relentless alarm clock bleeping in a still dark and cold room. I have all I can do to not pull the covers over my head and hibernate like a lazy slumbering bear, and dream of warmer days and feeling the sun on my skin.

But I am not a bear. I have responsibilities, and I have to get moving and get on with my day. Instead of the sun beaming through my kitchen and dancing off my suncatchers as I make my coffee, the hum of energy-saving bulbs beam their iridescent glow through the dimly lit morning. I stumble into the bathroom and blink painfully at the blaring light on the medicine cabinet as I fumble around for my toothbrush. Once in my car, I snap on the headlights so I will be visible to other commuters through the misty morning fog. At work, I sit under the buzzing florescent lamps, and squint at the harshly lit paperwork strewn on my desk, and after a long day, the artificial beacon of my porch light welcomes me home.

Once dinner is made, I light a row of candles, and admire them as I read or write ..... the flickering flame warmly glowing is the most organic light I have seen all day. The flames blink and wink, glint and gleam, and seemingly dance as the shadows behind them cast an array of colors and shapes that bend and sway. The light from the candles is warm and inviting, soft and gentle, soothing and seductive.

The differences of light sources, and the feelings they evoke remind me of a quote I once read: "We are told to let our light shine and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.”

I believe that is what is so attractive about natural sunlight, candles, and the moon and stars.. they are not noisy, they are not intrusive or invasive or glaring - they just ARE. Which makes me think about about how I let MY light shine. Do I just allow my natural talents, skills, and abilities to unveil themselves, to glint, to gleam, to dance, to shine... or do I come across like a flare gun?

I can certainly see, at times, I have revealed myself both ways, and obviously, the former method is more gentle and effective. Admittedly, I have at times, in certain situations jumped up and down, waving my hands saying "look at me! look at me!", when all I really needed to do was to simply SHINE ... naturally. My light is bright enough to illuminate even the darkest of night.

This little light of mine... I'm going to let it shine....