This sums it up………………

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson

So I was asked to get back on the blog wagon and produce something to be read. I sat down in front of the computer and I stared at the screen. I have like four articles I want to write but I was not finding the words. I took a second and started messing around on google and I stumbled upon the quote above. It is a quote that I have read 100 times. Every time that I read the quote I  get water in my eyes. I start to think about how this quote Sums it up!

I have felt for a very long time the call to do something big. Now when I say big it is a relative term. Something more than I am dong at the present moment. I have felt called to lead but I constantly shy away. Conflicted with the fear of what is mentioned in this quote. You see I believe that I fear being capable of sustaining the beauty that is created. I begin to think that I may not be able to bring the intensity required each day to make an impact. I have written along these lines over and over again. Self Sabotage is Fear winning being the most recent. Now that I sit and read this quote I think that maybe I have been focused on the wrong fear. I have been trying to defeat the fear of failure while I should be focused on the harnessing the power of my light.

Recently, I was pulled aside and the person says to me, “You seem real sad. Are you sad?” I answered and then they went on to say “even through all the dark clothing you wear I see a light around you. You have a light and you are going to do great things. Everything is going to be all right and you are going to come out on top.” I was completely taken back and humbled. I could only say thank you. After that conversation I found myself in deep thought.  “And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” I thought about this phrase of the quote. I thought about how a rising tide raises all ships. I thought about how the competitive world out there teaches us to step on the heads of others to get where we want to go. How we are trained to put out someone else’s light so ours will shine a little brighter. I thought how sad that is and remembered my trip to Arco arena with my last church. Every two years we would pack Arco arena with all the Bayside churches for a huge service. On the way in they gave us all glow-sticks. At one point of the service they turned off the lights and everyone lit their glow-stick at the same time. We were literally letting our light shine and giving permission for others to do the same. It was electric, warm and beautiful. It was a scene out of a movie.

In summary, I can’t help but think that if we were to reach out to others and help them see the light within we would live in a brighter place. I seem to remember when I was training Loan Officers and now as I train people in health and fitness doing this. Helping others find within themselves their light. Many times it simply takes someone believing in you more that you believe in yourself. Sometimes I think that I am waiting for that someone that believes in me and that is selfish. While I wait for that someone there are so many that have to walk in the darkness cast as I walk by. What is a lamp to do if the lamp is turned off? What good would it do to have a lamp unplugged? As I read the quote I can think of so many of us that are daring to be great but stopping ourselves just a little short. So I ask you today to reach deep within, plug in your light and let it shine for others to enjoy!