The Gift of a Little Light

Last updated on: May 24, 2023 at 11:33 am by Kathy King

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The Gift of a Little Light 2023-05-24T11:33:53-04:00 Kathy King

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Kathy King

The Gift of a Little Light

“When you feel alone in the dark, the moon is to remind you that you’re never alone. It’s there every night shining just for you.”

J.M. Preston

There is a childhood song that goes a little like this:

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel! NO! I’m going to let it shine.

Let it shine, Let it shine.

Why is light a gift?

It’s a gift because it makes darkness fall to its knees.

The light luminates the room.

It shines in the corners, the nooks and the places where some think there is no room for light to peek through.

Light exposes the dust, the dank and the dirty.

Light exposes the beauty and all things that make life pretty.

When you feel like you are staggering in the dark.

Look for your light to illuminate the dark.

A Prayer, a meditation and simple flickering of light.

Will take your darkness into light.

Growing up in the belly of the south, also known as the Bible Belt attendance at Bible School was a rule. Not an exception. Dutifully we would fill the pews with joy and sometimes a bit of boredom. The crafts were so amazing. Macaroni projects? They had them. A staple of Bible School? The music. This Little Light of Mine was sung regularly. There was even a piece played by the piano to signal us to stand up and sit down. It was a well oiled Bible School machine. As a child I remember the teachers telling us to cover one of our fingers as if a light was extinguished. Almost like a candle. After we talked about not hiding our light under a bushel and screaming “NO! I’m gonna let it shine!” was pretty great. Why would you let your light shine? Well, to be honest for a long time I was not sure. As I have gotten older and had a little more life experience I would say our light is not only for us but for those who are in our sphere of influence or even those who are watching from a distance. When I think of The Moonlight Sonata that was composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven I don’t dwell on its origin. He wrote it to his quite young crush. Yeah. Times were different then. But rather, I think of the fact that many composers wrote by the light of the moon and candlelight. That had to have its challenges and good bits and bobs. If you have never heard the piece it is an absolute practice of genius. A composer whose hearing was significantly failing. A love unrequited and a dark room with no electricity. Yet, through all of the obstacles a beautiful piece of music was composed. When you can’t see light in your life do you just stumble around in the darkness or do you look to the light to bring you to the end of the tunnel? Even in the void of space the stars provide light to dampen the darkness. What are the lights in your life? Your health? Your kids? Your friends? Your faith? That all important cup of coffee or in my family’s case that proper cup of tea to restore your normality? If you want to know that reference, look no further than to the amazing work of fiction that is “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams. When life throws its arrows don’t hide your light under a bushel. Let it shine. Keep moving, keep forging, keep forgiving, keep working because eventually the light will illuminate the whole room. Even if there is a full moon. It is such a small exercise but go into your room, turn off all the lights and illuminate a simple match. What do you see? The murky darkness where you have to stumble around suddenly becomes illuminated if only by a little bit. Keep lighting those matches if you will. Light the match of hope, light the match of determination. Light the match of kindness. Light the match of self-care. Light the match of a simple smile. Light the match of a word of affirmation. Wait and see, all that darkness will be inundated with light. The darkness does not always go away but thank goodness for the light. Light it, don’t hide it under a bushel and let it shine!

Source: Operationeffect.org