Strings of Lights

Early this morning while it was still dark I walked to my mailbox and was gifted with the sight of strings of lights shining in the darkness.  I have always loved Christmas lights: the colorful big bulbs, the tiny twinkling white or colored lights: simple symbols of joy strung during this season with a kind of wild abandon..

Last evening as I lit candles in preparation for welcoming my sisters - except for Roie who is unfortunately out of town this year - to my home for our Christmas sister's evening, I was particularly aware of the symbolism of Light as yesterday was the Winter Solstice.  Through much of human-time the Winter Solstice was a day of important significance and extravagant celebration as that date heralded the return of the Light: when light would lengthen each day and the warmth of sun could again bring forth life from the earth.

I was musing on the importance the concept of light is to human beings - how we know instinctively that without light, life is barren and so the 'sun' has been worshiped by most cultures - except of course, here in Arizona where for several months of the year we have a tendency to curse it and pray for the appearance of even thin layers of cloud!  Even so, at the core of our extravagant celebration of Christmas is the awareness that we celebrate Light being born: God incarnate - living - within human form.

Yet, we also forget that this was not a one-time event: God lives within each of us: each human person is the vessel - the carrier of God's of Light - and yet, almost none of us celebrate this reality instead often concentrating on our human imperfection and weakness.  I want to share now one of my favorite writings by Marianne Williamson which speaks of this human flaw: our reluctance to embrace the reality of who we really are.

"Our worst 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 and fabulous?'
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is noting enlightened about shrinking so that
other people won't feel insecure.
We are born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some of us.
It is within each of us - it is within everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
We are liberated from our own fear, and
our presence automatically liberates others."

Blessings and the joy of being a carrier of the Light to each of you.