I remember the first time I heard about being the light. I was five years old and the Sunday School I was attending taught me the song, “This Little Light of Mine.”
I was supposed to sing the song on Mother’s Day with a boy in my class, but he backed out at the last minute. Not knowing any better and super confused as to why he changed his mind, I got on stage by myself and belted the song out so loud that some of the adults started to giggle. I was pleased with myself because I brought so much joy to that little church and its parishioners.
This song stuck with me throughout my life and I have referenced it many times during my years as a teacher and school counselor. You see, I believe each one of us has a light within us that is begging to shine bright so that others can see it.
When we allow ourselves to shine bright, we encourage others to do the same.
We help others find their way. It is like we are a runway lit up at night, guiding the planes to land safely.
However, sometimes our light dims due to our reactions to other people or circumstances in our life. Throughout my journey, there have been many times I have let my light dim. During middle school and high school, I kept my light dim to fit in as best that I could. I didn’t allow people to see the real me because I was scared that they would not accept me. When I started dating, I kept my light dim so that my boyfriends wouldn’t feel uncomfortable around me. Then when I entered the workforce, every time I tried to let my light shine, I was confronted with obstacles and people who were threatened by my light. So, I learned to play the game and only show people the side of me that made them feel comfortable.
Why did I do this to myself? The easy answer is low self-esteem. The deeper reason is that I didn’t love myself enough to let my light shine bright. As a kid I was told over and over that I was “too much” and “too loud.” Those messages stayed with me into my adult life. They ate away at my soul and made me second guess myself. Eventually I stopped believing in myself and became complacent. The worst part is that I wasn’t alone.
When I looked around at my family, friends, and coworkers I saw that most of them had become complacent too. They had also allowed their lights to dim.
It is sad for humanity when this happens because we are all connected energetically. One person’s light affects another person’s light. In order for the world to feel complete, we must all find our purpose, be brave enough to be ourselves, and let our lights shine bright.
I encourage everyone to let go of the complacency and step into a new life with endless possibilities. You will never know how great your life can be if you choose to keep your light dim.
Always choose the light.
Shine bright!
BE THE LIGHT!
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