As I began to write this post, the news of six hostages being murdered after a year of captivity in Gaza blew up my social media. I spiraled downward into a deep sadness, thinking about those families and about the state of our world. These painful events have made me - and probably you - somewhat weary.
And now this week marks 23 years since 9/11 – has anything changed at all? The pointless nature of these traumatic incidents can lead us to ask...
“What 's the point of anything?!?!"
Through blurry eyes, I stared at my computer screen, scouring my soul for words to comfort; for some way to find meaning in all of life’s injustices.
In that silence, the image of a lighthouse appeared in my mind, standing tall and majestic against the rocky shoreline. That's odd, I thought. . .
What does the lighthouse have to tell us?
The lighthouse sees the storm coming; it feels the ground beneath it shake with each crashing wave. Yet it holds on and refuses to crumble.
The flame of the lighthouse blazes day in and day out, and under the deepest darkness of night, it shines all the brighter.
The lighthouse is built to withstand the coming tides, torrential downpours and epic winds. And through it all, it remains steadfast, unyielding, rooted into the Earth.
The lighthouse brings comfort to weary travelers who have traversed a raging sea, providing a beacon of hope, a respite from the storm.
When things get difficult, we have two choices --we can
retreat into defeat or
kindle the candle within.
It can feel easier to stay in negativity. But right now? Right now, each and every one of us is being called to embrace our light and be that very lighthouse for those who are in pain.
As the world rages around us, we cannot, we MUST not let fear and hopelessness pull us under. The incredible Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness,
only light can do that.”
You may feel you have nothing to offer another; or feel like you are one small person who doesn’t make a difference. Nothing is farther from the truth.
Inside each and every one of us is that same Universal spark of divinity, of beauty, of compassion and wisdom.
There are many now living in the midst of their own personal storms; desperately seeking something to hold onto and carry them through.
Tap into your inner strength. You are needed.
Be the lighthouse.
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