Letting Our Light Shine

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 frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ 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 people won’t feel insecure around you. 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 all of us. And when 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.” —- Used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech —-
~~~ Maryanne Williamson

Sitting around the dinner table tonight, Shane and I shared the historical significance of Barack Obama's  election with our children.  They do not realize how compelling the story is.  They have not heard our elders use racial epitaphs.  They have not heard our parents' generations sit idly while these slurs were spewed out.  They have not heard relatives tell us the curses if we were to ever marry someone or deeply befriend one of another race.  Through blessings of their time in history, they know only about the generosity of the human heart.   This is not a big deal to them, anyone who works hard enough and believes can be president.   I personally believed it, but I shamefully admit that deep down I was not sure the greater populace believed.  I saw too narrowly through the lenses of racism that still shows a glimpse at the underbelly of America, proliferated by sensationalist news coverage.  The media failed to offer a balance and show the depth of compassion, of hope, of our belief of our own greatness in their coverage.    As my pastor reminded us today, God is still speaking, and a renewed sense of who we are and can be as individuals and as a country is now on display.  I pray we can live up to our call.   Not only for our nation, but so we can be a beacon of light for the world.    True prosperity is shining brightly across our country tonight!   Ubuntu.