Inner Light

One of my Facebook friends is a prolific writer. Her work is published on the internet in several blogs. She regularly links to her blogs on Facebook. Talk about taking full advantage of the technology! My hat's off to you, TMB! Like a lot of people, I have Facebook friends about whom I know very little. Some I have taken the time to learn a bit about. Some people are friends from the real world, as far back as elementary school. From school to work and in between, it's the best way for a self-employment hermit to stay in touch. Now, TMB is one of those contacts that I happened to "find" on Facebook. I honestly don't remember how, but I think I saw a link to her blog on another page.

Since becoming a friend of her primary blog personality, she invited me to be her friend on her personal page as well. We've exchanged a few messages, both business and personal, and I can honestly say she is a person I would very much like to meet. She apparently splits her time between Southern California and Israel. As a result, she missed out on the torrential rains of December 2010. One of the best things about her is her uncanny ability to send my mind into overdrive. In fact, three of the four postings for today are because of her.

So, on to this Inner Light question. I won't cross link to her posts without her permission. I haven't asked yet, but I will. Or you can find me on Facebook and get to them from there. I pretty generally share her posts. Recently, she asked, "I want to know how YOU are going to let your inner light shine in 2011?" She had prefaced the question with this quote:   

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." - Edith Wharton

As you can imagine, a few people chimed in with responses. It's a tough question! How many of us today even think about "spreading light?" We live in a society that is so inundated with darkness that it's difficult to see ourselves as being a source of light. Yet, according to your own belief system, if you have one, you are a source of light. If you have difficulty being the source of light, try being the mirror. At the very least, think about it.


Being the source of light is a pretty easy thing to do. The challenge is remembering it. My philosophy is a simple one. Love really is the answer. If I can keep that in mind, many of my challenges render themselves solved pretty quickly. The Christian version is "love everyone." It's a concept that is simple on the surface, but immensely challenging to implement. Bring the thought to the front of your thinking and it becomes easier. The Indigenous version is "respect all things." Equally simple, equally challenging. Respect / Love for everyone / everything is how you can be a source of light. Live your life following a simple philosophy and it will show.


"What if I just can't do it?!?" It's tough and it takes work. There are times when it's just too much to ask. Keep trying. An alternative is to be the mirror. This also takes work. In order to be the mirror, you have to be able to see and recognize the light. Here's a simple example. You see someone walking down the street pick up a candy wrapper and put it either in their pocket or in a trash can. Instead of thinking, "Weirdo," think "I can do that, too." It's a simple action, really. But it also shows respect for our environment. Like I said, that's a simple example, but I think it illustrates how easily you can be the mirror.


Here's a real challenge. Be both. Be the light that sets the example for others to follow and be the mirror that reflects, and by reflecting expands, the examples of others.


Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.