When I was little, I used to flit about on my toes and sing and dance like a little happy
fairy child. I was full of Joy and light and laughter. Laughter that was music to the ears that heard it. It brought Joy to others too.
Then the darkness hit, I was very ill and also had a very traumatic experience that dampened my light to a dull pulse that almost sputtered out. I became cold and angry, a fire in my belly that was not hot but cold and fierce and full of fear. It felt like the sun had decided to hide its magical warmth from me.
It has been years and years of really hard intense therapy and working daily on myself to start seeing my light grow back to the brightness it used to be. The wounds I acquired have now scarred over and have become just chapters in my story rather then the only story I could tell. It used to be the only thing I thought about and in turn that made me even more angry. Angry at the injustices I suffered on so many levels.
This isn't about the dark tho, this is about how even just a little light will be noticed. I still had amazing humans and some not so good ones gravitate to me along the way. With just a little Joy left I clung to whatever piece of Love and Laughter I could find. And my light began to grow again. And grow.
I am now a small fire that glows hot and bright.
What is this light that we speak of so often?
How do we know if we are showing light or if we are casting shadows?
Well for starters, light is the Joy and exuberance we carry for life in general. It shines through in your excitement, in the smiles and laughs that come so easily in the moment, they too add more light. You literally glow when you are living in the moment and enjoying what life is bringing you.
Casting shadows happens when we are living in the pain of a moment or are carrying dark thoughts, holding on to the misery of a bad decision or feeling anger towards the world. We then cast deep dark shadows. these to are visible to the naked eye, from how we carry ourselves to the fact that our heads are always down when casting shadows. When walking in the light of life, we have heads held high, eyes wide open to the world and a ready smile for anyone!
You can tell what you're giving off by the people that are around you. If everyone is always complaining or grumpy, you're casting shadows. If everyone seems happy and quick to smile around you, you're giving off light.
Now how do we hold onto the light?
We start with Gratitude.
Thankfulness to be alive, to be in this day like it's the only one, cuz it is! We must find our passions and feed them, for example, I recently went to a concert and the light that was there from the communal enjoyment of the live music was beyond amazing, we could have lit that arena up with the smiles we all had. Being around people who were also there to enjoy the music was another boost to the flame! Maybe go for a walk in nature if it lights you up from the inside.... maybe painting, or dancing, or singing does it for you, maybe working on your car or having a fire with friends, play ball or join a sports league, read a good book or play your own instrument, whatever it is that brings you that unadulterated Joy, DO THAT, and do it as often as you can!
Be thankful and find Joy anywhere you can. We live in times of darkness and pain all around us, so let's be the light that that stranger needs to see just to make it through their day. That one smile or hello could do it! A simple kindness also brings much Joy and light. Try doing something for someone and see how fast the light grows and spreads. Open the door for someone, help an old lady or gent with their groceries or crossing the street. Light comes from doing and being, they're both needed to produce more glow.
We need our Glow Kings and Queens to shine bright and help illuminate the shadows of the world.
We can do this one moment, one day, one thought of gratitude and one smile at a time.
Until next time, Shine on.
