"This Little Light of Mine"

"This Little Light of Mine"

"This little light of mine.  I'm gonna let it shine.  Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."

What a wonderfully powerful message in a few words.  The fact that some of the lines in the song are repeated make it even more powerful.   Let's think about it.

The word little implies something quite small.  We might even think of little as insignificant.  What could possibly be powerful in anything that is little?  Does something have to be large to be important or meaningful?  When you add "this" in front of little, it means it belongs to you and you alone.  This light.  This part of you or me that has the ability to shine out of us into the world around us is far from little.  It is huge.  This light may be contained in a small package, but it does what light always does.  It illuminates the darkness.

This light has the power to change lives.  The wonderful thing about this is we all have this light.  We all have the ability to shine wherever we are  each moment in our day.  We control the power switch that is our light.  We can decide to let it shine, or we can hide it under a bushel.  Now, that would be such a shame, wouldn't it?  The light that belongs to us has great power.  However, that power must be turned on.  When I walk into a dark room in my home, I flip that switch and allow the light to flood the room.  We must make the same decision about our personal light.  We can leave it off or turn it on.

It is possible that we forget to turn our own light on.  Life happens.  We become discouraged.  Things don't turn out as we wish.  We get bogged down with all the challenges that cross our paths.  When these things occur, it is easy to forget to let our light shine.  We hardly have the strength to move through our own lives let alone offer our light to another soul.  Darkness extinguishes our light.  We know that it is still within us,  but the dimmer switch has turned our light down to its lowest setting.

Then one day something or someone happens.  We feel a lift in our spirits.  We see the world and all the people through new eyes.  Our personal light switch is on.  The dark lifts, and the light enters.  We feel light and giddy and happy.  We want that wonderful feeling to stay with us forever.  The light that is within us becomes our constant companion.  We offer it to everyone.  We want to let it shine. The sweetness of life circles us and drives out the dark.  Can it remain like this forever?  Probably not.  We may experience an occasional dim moment, but we can adjust our power switch and move back into the light.

Just think what the world would be like if everyone let their light shine.  Think of the love and joy that would penetrate every part of our lives.  Think of the care we would give to one another.  Think of the help we could be to those who cross our paths.  Imagine if for one day everyone in the world, or in your town, or on your block let all the light they possess shine.  I can almost feel the difference that would make in a world that is beaten down with disasters and hurts.  One day.  One day to let our light shine.

How powerful the words of  that song are.  The second sentence is an imperative sentence.  It has an implied subject which is "you."  You let it shine.  You let it shine.  You let it shine.  Of course, it means me, too.  It commands each of us to reach for the light that belongs to us and share it with the world.  Our world is defined as the place we live, the places we go, the people we meet.  It means to shine in our place on this planet.

Even a little light brightens the darkness.  So, if you find yourself thinking your light isn't very bright, let it shine anyway.  Give it a chance to brighten another's space.  Give it the opportunity to flow out of you and into the world.  You may never know how your light helped another.  Your simple act of turning the power of your light on may make all the difference in how another adjusts their own light.

My friends, let's let it shine.  Everywhere.  All the time.  Let's brighten the world where we live and work.  Let's gift others with our light.  Let's shine.  Shine.  Shine.

Prom and Promise

Prom and Promise-

Spring brings so much promise.  The world becomes alive after a long and difficult winter.  Trees produce leaves, wild flowers carpet the forest and woodland floors, hosta slowly break the earth and show the first beginnings of the wonder they will produce.  New life is everywhere.

One other sign of spring is prom.  That magical time in a young person's life that signals an ending and a new beginning.  It is a time when all the possibilities of life present themselves.  With all those possibilities often comes a sense of fear.  What shall I do with my life?  What college should I attend?  Where will I make my mark?  How will I navigate all the new things in my life?  It is a time when the comfortable makes way for the uncertain.  Once the uncertain is comfortable, it begins all over.  But, this special night is all about celebration.  Those questions will find answers on another night.

Recently I received a message from a former student who is now the mom of a graduating senior.  Could a group of seniors come to my house and take pictures on prom night?

We were delighted to be asked.  We spent a little time making sure the yard was as pretty as it could be.  How much fun it would be to see the young people all decked out in their finest.  And so they came.

Cars lined our driveway.  Parents, grandparents and siblings came to celebrate the night.  The young women were beautiful in their long gowns.  The gowns reminded me of when I was in school.  They wore long gowns just as we did.  The gowns were such beautiful colors-yellow, purple, blue, red.  And the young men were so dashing in their tuxedos.  One came in his military uniform.  They were so joyful.  They had dinner reservations and then off to prom.  We were delighted to share this special time with them.

Next will come graduation.  Then they will enter a new world.  This new world will offer so many choices.  I am hopeful they will each select a path that leads them to a life of discovery.  In the next year each of those who graced our lawn will make decisions that will change the course of their lives.  That is how it should be.   One good thing about being a young adult is they get to change their minds and pursue a new career should the original idea prove to be a poor choice.

Parents want their children to know what they want to do with the rest of their lives once they enter college or a training program.  I completely understand that.  School costs a great deal of money.  Young people need to realize this.  But, it is also true that often they don't know what they are best suited to do.  I was on this train when I started college.  My first thought was to go into business so I took all the business courses I could take.  I enjoyed them.  I could be a secretary.  Yes, I could do that.

 Somewhere along the road of education I knew that this was not a good fit.  Certainly I could perform the job. But, could I be happy in that position for a lifetime?  Because I knew the answer to that question was no, I needed to find the career that would be fulfilling for a long time.

I wish I could remember the moment I knew teaching was the place I belonged.  I don't.  But, I do remember how much I enjoyed the classes and looked forward to having my own classroom.  Not to date myself, but JFK was assassinated when I was a student teacher.

The skills I learned from the business classes have proven quite useful.  Nothing was wasted.  They were simply not the right fit for a lifetime career.  That may happen to one or several of those who were taking those pictures in our yard.  Some may make the correct decision early in their post high school years.  Others may need to try a couple of new things before the right one appears.  The point is there is so much promise in each of those young people.  So much promise.

Beautiful young people making their way through life visited our place.   Looking at them I feel secure that we will be just fine.  This world is going to be so much better because they were born.

Congratulations and best wishes to all graduates!

Security Systems

Security Systems--

"Answer the knock on your door," the voice on the other end of the telephone ordered.  So I did.

That order came as a result of our security system sending an alarm to the police department.  It wasn't the first time our alarm system did that.  In fact, it was the third time.  At least we know the thing works.

Following the instructions, I did answer the door.  A young policeman with a flashlight greeted me.  It was around 2AM.  I had been watching a television program. As he entered the house, he told me he had seen me through the window.  He said I had a bottle of water in my hand.  I think he told me that to let me know that anyone could have walked up my driveway and seen inside my house.  He made his point.

I assured him we were fine.  And I thanked him for taking the time to check in on us.

The time before that the wind blew a door open, and the alarm went off.  I received a call on my cell informing me that police were in my house.  We hurried home.

When we arrived, they told us they had been through the house.  Did I make the bed?  Was dirty underwear on the floor?  Did we cap the toothpaste?  Were there dirty dishes in the sink?  It really didn't matter as they had already been through the house.  In the process of going room to room, they found the open door and guessed the wind had blown it open.  They were correct.

Before they left, they also told us several things they noticed that we should change.  We were grateful for their careful attention to our home.

It makes me a little sad to know that we live in a world where security systems are needed.  Years ago we had a key hanging on a nail just inside a closet door in the entry.  Everyone knew where it was.  People who stopped out here would sometimes use the key to enter our house.  Several times we found notes on our kitchen counter telling us who had been out.  We never felt threatened that someone would enter our home to do harm.

Over the years that feeling of security changed.  Farms were vandalized.  Houses were broken into.  And finally we made the decision to at least make it a little more difficult for someone to enter our house uninvited.  It took me quite awhile to be comfortable with the system.  Now I arm it each time I leave, and when we go to bed at night.

I tell myself it is smart to understand the times we live in and take precautions.  But, it still makes me sad that life has changed so much.

Be careful out there.

Pay It Forward

Pay It Forward--

What a blessing to have warm, sunny days.  I even appreciate warm, cloudy days.  After a winter that seemed as if it would never end, any days above freezing make me smile.  Even the grass seems to be relieved that winter is over.  Sprigs of green are appearing on shrubs, and daffodils are almost blooming.  Bluebells are springing out of the soil.  Soon they will cover sections of our woods and plant beds.  Eventually, trees will produce leaves, and the world will wear lovely shades of green.  The earth will experience a rebirth.  She will gift us with beauty.

A recent tragedy has also turned into a rebirth.  A young man's death has touched hearts.  Because of his life, others are paying it forward.  That means they are honoring his memory by doing acts of kindness to strangers as well as friends and family.  What a wonderful difference that is making in the lives of those who receive as well as those who give.  People are reaching into their hearts and pocketbooks to make life better for others.  While some are sharing what they are doing, others are doing it quietly.  Both are great examples of the wonder of humanity.

Isn't it wonderful to receive an unexpected gift?  Not long ago I received a gift of tulips from a friend.  She told me when she saw them, they reminded her of the colors in my house.  I was so touched by her thoughtfulness.  She certainly didn't have to purchase the tulips.  She had a choice.  Leave them there or  bring them to me.  Everyday I enjoyed their beauty and was reminded of the person who gifted me with them.

That tragedy has caused us all to think long and hard about what truly matters in this world.  Sometimes I forget that a smile is a gift.  A kind word is a gift.  A batch of homemade cookies right out of the oven is a gift.  A call, an email, a text are all gifts.  Listening is a gift we can give.  A hand written note expressing our appreciation for a person in our life is a gift.  I smile when I receive a thank-you card from a bride-to-be.  Knowing that something I selected is appreciated makes me happy.

When you examine all the things I listed, what you see is the human touch.  That is what matters most in this world.  We are wired to connect with others.  We need one another to get through our days on this earth.  Our lives are richer and sweeter when we allow ourselves to be real with one another.  When we let that guard down, and we all have that guard, we are free to experience what real friendship and love are.  It can be a fearful thing to allow others to see the us we try so hard to hide.  Yet, the most real times in our lives are those times when we relax and let go.  Why is that so difficult?  I suppose we all fear the reaction we might receive should we decide to allow others inside our private space.  Not everyone we know has a need to know us on a deep level.  That is reserved for those few who allow us to see them as they are, too.

Wouldn't this world be a more beautiful place if all humanity began to see the value in everyone?  How would that change the world?  Certainly, there will always be those who decide to engage in behaviors that are harmful to others.  But, what if more and more people began to understand and act on the beauty of others?  What if we decided to try and understand another point of view?  What if we accepted differences without being judgemental?  What if we extended ourselves in love to friends, family and strangers?  What if we extended our own boundaries?  Do we have the power to make this world a more peaceful and loving place?  What if we opened ourselves to others who are different from us with no intent of changing them to be like us?

When a terrible thing happens, we are forced to face the truth that nothing is forever on this earth.  Because we know that, we have a choice in how our days will be spent.  We have a choice in our attitude.  We have a choice in how we think about others.  We have a choice to love or hate.  We have a choice between holding onto hurt feelings or letting them go.  We have choice.  I wish it were that simple, but it isn't.  We are complex creatures.  Yet, our days could be so much sweeter if we could allow ourselves to rejoice in the beauty that surrounds us and celebrate each day we are given.

Sometimes when I sit down to write, what appears on the page is not what I intended.  I find that so interesting.  It is as if something inside determines what shall appear on the page.  And I am surprised when I read what I have written.  Tonight is one of those times.

How do I end this essay?  I think I will end it by suggesting that all of us find that tender part of ourselves and allow it to surface.  That doesn't mean we cease to see what is wrong in our world.  What it means is we allow ourselves to love others and ourselves in a much deeper manner.  If we can do that only a little bit, a more gracious spirit will cover the earth, and everyone will be better for it.