Keep Shining

I attended church last week and as part of the children’s ministry they let them sing the song…”This little light of mine; I’m gonna let it shine”. It was heartwarming to see the little ones singing their lungs out and making some cute little moves as well.

I then started reflecting on the song and the scene as it was playing itself out in front of the congregation. At face value it was just little kids singing and trying to assimilate the message about shining their own light (quite frankly I am not sure that they could comprehend how powerful the message was….neither did I at first). But upon reflection; it dawned on me that this was indeed a very powerful message/sermon….one of self-belief and self-motivation and there and then I decided to write about it.

First let me look at the meaning of light (stay with me for a second and not allow your mind to wonder into load shedding but we could draw some parallels). The English dictionary defines light as….”the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible”. Let it sink in that all of us possess an incredible ability to make things and ourselves visible. The question is do we? Or do we allow self-doubt and outside influences to determine our ability to illuminate our paths to success or prosperity?

What if you can just give yourself permission and allow your own light to shine? What could go wrong? Well I have news for you….things will start looking very differently and you will regain your power to shape your destiny.

One of my favourite quotes is “She remembered who she was and the world changed” (Lalah Delia). This quote is about intentionality and claiming your personal power. In my years of working with women as their coach; I am amazed how much patriarchy impacts many of us. It is our inability to see and embrace our potential and ability to carry families and by extension by being superwomen. (Child minder; the cook; the provider; the cleaner; the enabler….need I go on?)

Marianne Williamson puts it nicely and says:

“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”

I think this quote albeit on the longish side; sums up the essence of my message to you.

Lovingly

Pamthecoach