Skip to main content

Light

Image
By
This is a chapter from my third book called Love letters

Today is a rainy Sunday morning and the rain has come to wash the place clean. In another chapter I will talk about my love for rain. But today is Divali in Trinidad and Tobago which is a celebration of light over darkness. Light is honesty. Light is truth. Light is goodness. Light is at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes we go through dark periods that make us appreciate the light when it comes. Light is the start of the day and new beginnings. There is light within all of us. Today should be a reminder that we all have the power to bring light into the world. We can do this by being kind and loving and standing up for what is right.

A few weeks ago I started my "Mind is light" photography project. Photography is another love of mine that I write about in another chapter. It was a Saturday morning and I decided I wanted to rekindle my joy for photography. The next day on Sunday night the idea came to me like a light bulb going on over my head. The phrase "Mind is light" can have several different meanings, depending on the context in which it is used. The one that I like is the more spiritual context, the realization of one's true nature, which is often described as being pure, luminous, and limitless. At the end of this chapter I share the photo that started this project.

I love seeing the light in others. Maya Angelou tells us that, "The light you bring into the world is beautiful, irreplaceable, and needed." I love the phrase walking in the light. This is us making the world a better place, one act of love at a time. This is when we keep our promises. This is when we tell the truth, even when it is difficult. Light is being there for someone and helping them through the darkness. This is when we leave the light on for others. We can be the hope and guidance during dark times. Rumi once said, "Leave a light on so someone can find their way home."

Two years ago I wrote this poem for Divali - Rows of lighted hearts beat, People meet and greet, Melodies fill the night air, Hands in prayer, Mouth watering foods, Content moods. I love that I live in a country where we value each other's religions and contributions to this melting pot. Diversity is the light of the world. There is Japanese proverb that goes, "When you light a candle for someone else, it also lights your own way." Never think that your light is too small to make a difference. Your light is unique and valuable. A light resides within our hearts. When we share this light with others we spread love.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Coffee and a prayer

By
It is 245am and I have decided to write. I have no topic and no idea what to write. I am thankful for another day. I see the beauty that surrounds us. I choose to be happy. We are in the last ten nights of Ramadan. Tonight is the 23rd night. It could possibly be the night of power. I wonder if it will rain. Maybe it rained when I was sleeping. I got up and bathed and drank a strong cup of coffee. Today is also Friday the 13th. I keep thinking. Life is beautiful. Life is simple. No need to complicate things. No need to be extravagant. Believe in God. Trust in God. Be guided by God. Imagine we can pray for anything. We can ask God for anything. God is always listening. God wants to hear from us. Maybe I can turn this blog post into a prayer. My God I pray that everyone gets their prayers answered. I pray that everyone gets what they need. I pray that you light our path towards you. Guide us with what you intend for us. Keep us close to you. Soften our hearts. Keep us balanced, consistent...
Post a Comment
Read more

Belief is a part of life

By
I watched this video and I quite like it as a good starting point for this blog post https://youtu.be/t44PFI_V4LE We cannot know everything. We do not have the capacity to know everything. I make plans for tomorrow because I believe there is a tomorrow not because I know that there is a tomorrow. We cannot decide today to say we will only act on things that we know for sure. This would be impractical. As my friend Chatty puts it, to live life, we must believe in things that cannot always be proven with certainty. For example, we believe that the future exists, that our actions matter, and that other people can be trusted. We also tend to believe life has meaning and that things can improve. These beliefs help us make decisions, keep hope, and move forward. Given that belief is a part of life, it is reasonable to have people believe in a God and a particular religion. My point is this. Life cannot happen without belief because we cannot know everything (unless we are God like). Belief i...
Post a Comment
Read more

God of direction

By
It is 323am and I have decided to write. I am thinking that I am a bucket of paint. A beautiful shade of blue. That God uses to paint the sky. How could I turn this into something worth writing about? My friend Chatty tells me that I could develop the idea by exploring the metaphor of myself as a bucket of blue paint and God as the painter using it to color the sky. The meaning comes from reflecting on what it feels like to be "used"—losing some of myself while helping create something beautiful. The paint may not see the whole picture and might fear being emptied, but its purpose is fulfilled when it becomes part of the sky. The piece can reflect on purpose, trust, surrender, and the idea that giving of yourself is how beauty is created. It is now 423am and I cannot think of a way to continue this writing. The sky is silent is what comes to my mind. How do I ask the sky to speak to me? I look through my window and I see patches of clouds against a dark sky. Maybe the night s...
Post a Comment
Read more