Pre-Thanksgiving Food for Thought
Years ago, I attended a modeling/acting school that taught me so much more than runway or headshots. Our fabulous instructor, April Baker, skillfully shared quotes at the most perfect moments. One resonated with me then and continued to shape the years of my life to follow: "As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
I never understood why that quote had struck me when in fact, at the time, I disagreed with it. Rather than focusing on my own light, I thought it made the most sense to instead channel energy into helping others see their light first. I saw so much pouring out of everyone else - so much potential and positivity that had gone unrecognized by those of whom possessed it in troves. While such an endeavor yielded abundance and left circumstances better than the manner in which they were found, somehow along the way, I lost my voice. The mirror no longer reflected such light back to me, and darkness became the fortress of deep-rooted pain and repression. Roots that sent tremors through the ground beneath my feet and left striking cracks within the foundation from which I built my identity and orientation to the world.
Through writing sessions that ripped me raw long before ever granting a moment of healing, I have discovered an unshakeable sense of gratitude for those foundational cracks, as such openings granted me undeniable vulnerability and allowed light to access places previously defined by a darkness I hope to never know again. This writing now comprises a piece of work that I am beginning to open up to the idea of sharing. Having learned how to first show up for myself, I am feeling able to show up more meaningfully, consistently, and authentically, for others.
As we enter the week of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to take time to seek the light in places existing beneath the surface. What are the moments in your life that have mattered most? Especially moments that may be riddled with darkness - how can they be shifted to reveal their light instead? How are you expressing gratitude for both your light and your darkness? Who else plays a role in those moments for you?