Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Light always follows

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Bing images
Do you ever write something to a friend...something of an encouraging or uplifting tone as they're going through a challenging moment...and come back to it later, finding yourself somewhat amazed at your own wisdom?  This happens to me occasionally, often enough that it has forced me to accept two truths.

One is that I can say that I have reached a level of personal growth that I am clearly aware that I am used as a vehicle at certain moments to communicate the words that person needs to hear the most.  I think this happens to all of us on a regular basis, if we're present enough to recognize the experience.

The other truth is that I have also reached a level of growth where I recognize my own abilities and strengths.  Some of this awareness has come from comments from people over the years who have been completely unrelated, all telling me a similar truth about myself.  The "properly raised" side of me struggles with the lessons instilled from childhood to not blow my own horn, to not push myself forward in a self-aggrandizing manner, to not walk forward in an arrogantly perceived fashion.  Those early lessons behoove me to remain humble and to not represent myself brashly.  All of that being said, it is a pleasant thing to come to a place in my personal growth where I am comfortable with the traits and strengths that I have honed over a lifetime; the traits that allow me to make a difference in this world.

Months ago, I was having an email conversation with a friend who was struggling through a rocky period.  This friend had also blogged about their experience, and I had replied with this snippet:

"...it is also not necessary to walk a dark path alone. The truth is, rarely do we have to, if we would but realize it. Help, encouragement, friendship and a soft place to fall are all usually within fingertip reach...even if all that those things can do is simply provide a listening ear. Brighter moments are always on the horizon because it is a simple truth that darkness cannot endure. Light always follows."
At the time I wrote that passage, it struck me as a very powerful message.  So powerful that I copied and pasted it into my blog draft folder, tucking it away for a future blog article.  When I was writing those words above, I was consciously aware that I was being given a degree of assistance, as the words flowed so effortlessly from my keyboard.  I had that moment of startling clarity where all the planets aligned, per se, and the simplicity of the wording gave me chills.  When chills hit, you know that you've created something of such harmonic purity that it resonates at a very high level.  At least, that's the message I receive when chills hit me after writing or reading something that I find to be profound.

So, this line of thought falls somewhat into the "chicken vs. egg" theory.  Which came first - being aware that I was being used as a vehicle to communicate that message?  Or reaching a stage of awareness that allowed me to be aware I was being used as that vehicle?  Many would say that it doesn't matter, and perhaps that is true.  I think there is no fault in claiming ownership of growth and awareness on a spiritual level, as those personal achievements are always hard fought and hard won. 

One of my strongest talents in this life is the ability to weave words together to communicate my thoughts.  Another strong talent is one that I haven't ever consciously honed - it is one that I have come to accept exists through the comments of people around me.  For whatever reason, I exude a sense of peace on a personal level, as well as that same sense of peace being communicated with my writing.  When I started this blogging journey and sat with a friend and her laptop to create this blog page, I had no idea how prophetic and ideal the title I came up with would be.  The Healing Morning title continues to be appropriate, and continues to allow me to grow....or, more to the point, it grows with me.  Occasionally, I will run across a passage I have written in the past and be reminded that I am definitely on the right path.  The quote above was such a reminder. 

I think we all question why we are here on a regular basis.  We wonder if we're making any tangible difference in the world with the life we're leading.  It can be a lonely reality for every single one of us occasionally.  The comment above that I wrote to my friend had a dual purpose; one being to extend encouragement and support to that friend, and another being to remind me, months down the road, that I'm doing okay. 

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http://www.johnwimberlyphotography.com/
There's that passage in the Bible about entertaining angels unaware:

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrew 13:2
Let me stress that I am in no way intimating that I am some exalted presence!  Far from it.  I do, however, think there is the possibility that when we are in a creative and/or loving state of mind, that our Spirit opens up to a larger degree, allowing inspiration to flow.  Who is to say that this is not merely a different manner of entertaining angels unaware?  Divine presence doesn't have to manifest in physical form for us to feel it and be inspired by it.  I have heard many creative people claim an almost amnesiac state of mind when they have been in a firestorm of creativity - they feverishly go with the Muse, working non-stop until the canvas has been painted, the book has been written, the song has been created, the athletic event has been won.  When they look back and attempt to explain or detail each step, it is a blur.  All they can say is that a rush of unique, all encompassing energy took over and their body responded until the goal was achieved.

I talk a great deal about Light when I write.  I find it interesting that I ended my paragraph to this friend with the comment that

"Brighter moments are always on the horizon because it is a simple truth that darkness cannot endure. Light always follows."

This is a message I need to remember on a personal level, because I, too, have moments that I lose sight of this simple truth.  Whatever the source of beautiful inspiration that produced that thought, I find it a strong, clear message.  Not everyone will read this blog article and find it to make the kind of sense that I am attempting to communicate.  Others will read it and immediately understand what I am working to convey.  This Earth School that we all inhabit definitely gives us strong challenges and those challenges take us on complicated journeys, weaving in and out of sunlight, passing through occasional dark, sometimes protracted passages.  The message that I have learned over a lifetime is clear, and it is one I will continue to share....

Darkness cannot endure.  Light always follows.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

No Place Like Home

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Authentic Blogger
Did you know that moving ranks in the Top 3 most stressful events that can hit an individual's life?  The other two are death and marriage.  I, for one, am not a fan of moving.  I know many people enjoy it, see it as an adventure and embrace all the nuances of change that come along with the experience.  I accept that type of change grudgingly, although with age and time, I have found a way to cope better than I used to. 

So, with that being said, imagine a dramatic drumroll as I announce with a flourish (because there simply must be a flourish) that Authentic Blogger has moved its presence on Facebook from the original group format to a new Page format. 

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