This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine….
I’m not going to make it shine…
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
— Negro Spiritual
One of our favorite Christmas traditions is to drive around the town on Christmas Eve, looking at the lights and listening to Christmas carols, then drive partway up the mountain to look down on the town and up at the stars. I still remember when my daughter was little enough to sit on my lap when we made the trip. I also remember snuggling in bed with her every night, talking for a while before she went to sleep. For about a month or so around Christmas we had a little artificial tree with lights in her room, and we would lie there in the dark together, looking at the lights as we talked. So a big part of Christmas to me is an image of lights radiating in the darkness.
I’m not analyzing it too closely, but in my mind the quiet and darkness are also connected to writing…they’re both ways of connecting to the deepest parts of myself and to something greater than myself. Some people would call that “something greater” God…others would call it the Divine, but for me the words don’t matter, it’s the experience that I care about. And it’s not something outside of us, we’re all a part of it…and it’s a part of us. To me that’s what the lyrics of the spiritual are saying…we all have an inner light that we can let shine. I personally can find mine more easily and see it much better when there’s some darkness for contrast.
What about you? Is darkness any part of your images of Christmas? Am I alone in this? Please share your thoughts and experience in the comment section.
Candle photo by SkyD via Flickr. Creative Commons license.
Picture of girl writing by arkworld. Used by permission. Owner reserves all rights.
Related post: Stepping Out of the Stress Trap.
Thanks to Al, Ellen, Adebola, bikehikebabe, and Albert
for commenting on last week’s post.
Certainly Jean,
There is no light without dark.
Just like courage is not the absence of fear, but action in spite of our fear.
Merry Christmas & Happy holidays!
Merry Christmas Jean, wishing you and your family the very best of the season. 😉
Thanks for another insightful post. You are one of those that made the year a great one for me 😉
Adebola
Hi Jean,
that’s really a great spiritual, one to keep in mind…
“I’m not going to make my inner light shine…I’m going to let it shine”
That’s beautiful.. To me it says nothing can be forced, you have to let it find it’s way, give it room to grow..especially that inner light..
Now all I have to do is find the way to ‘let it shine’;-)…
And yes, I do think (unfortunately) darkness is needed to find it (if that’s what you mean?). This year has been a very dark one for me, I’m truly relieved it’s coming to an end (clinging on the symbolic concept of a new year a bit here..).
But with that, I have also found out more about my inner self, discovered what’s really important to me. Cherished the blessings I do have.
These dark days at the end of the year are the best to contemplate, take a step back, cherish, value, look back and look forward. And with that, strengthen that inner light.
Happy holidays to you,
Ellen
Great thoughts! Words means nothing, it is our experience that counts. Our inner light is always within us, but we only notice it in time of darkness.
Happy holidays!
Robert,
We do need that contrast, don’t we? Even though we don’t always like it.
Adebola,
I’m glad you had such a great year.
Ellen,
I hope 2008 is an easier/more joyful one for you. I’m like you, moving from one year to another has a lot of meaning for me, too. In fact, I like New Year’s better than Christmas. There’s less emphasis on gifts and more on reflecting on our lives.
Life Reflection,
I’m not sure many people would agree with us, that it’s the experience that counts, not what we call it. I’m glad you’re a kindred spirit on this.
Happy holidays to you all, and thanks so much for coming by and commenting.
I agree heartily with you. Darkness, and dark events, has a way of putting light, and happy times, into perspective. I don’t think that darkness is to be avoided, because without it, we wouldn’t value our happier moments so much. Thanks for posting this.
“I also remember snuggling in bed with her every night, talking for a while before she went to sleep.” (quote Jean)
I like memories too. We called it “Snuggle Bunny”. The girls each held on to an arm for my made-up story. When they were asleep, I’d try to slowly remove myself, but they’d tighten their grips on my arms.
I agree with all of the above. I couldn’t have said it so well.
Adam,
Thanks for coming by. I agree. In general the happiest people aren’t the ones who have had the easiest lives. A study a while back showed that happiest people were over 70 years old. They had seen the Great Depression and World War II and appreciated their lives now.
bikehikebabe,
The picture of you and your girls makes me smile. Thanks for sharing it. 🙂