The winter solstice marks the longest night and shortest day of the year. From that point, it is said that the light of the sun approaches the apex of its brilliant potency and influence until June 21, when those effects begin their decline again. It is also considered a time of quiet storage and protectively keeping one's hand close to the heart of the matter, as (not if) you will. After all, to paraphrase an old jazzy standard, bears do it, roots do it, seeds that will be fruits do it, so let's do it... When I did take a trip through my inner archives, I enjoyed revisiting a few creative concepts and musical favorites from somewhat recent years. Starting in 2006, when two particular tunes were created and Akeelah and the Bee was released, a popular Marianne Williamson quote featured in the film was a fixture on the MySpace social network page I used at the time. It reads:
“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 most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? 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 other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. 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 everyone. And as 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.” ~ from A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles (1992)
After extensive battles with shy containment of my inner fire so as not to intimidate, offend or rouse another to anything but Love's healing; criticism or inattention from those who equated quality entertainment with selling sensationalism, sex or one's soul values; unfounded contractual fears from my young adult years as a signed recording artist and other would-be obstacles turned opportunities, I finally overcame my repressed ego to believe the necessity of sharing from the he/art with integrity, joyous understanding of the ups & downs we all face and diverse canvasses to my Life's purpose. There would be those who disliked, misunderstood or somehow felt threatened by the work to attempt my theft and harm on material/physical or spiritual levels, but shrinking to accommodate their dis-ease and disregarding God's mandate as a result were unwise non-options.
The Light of righteousness, sacred breath and our other resources were given to us not to curse another, but to bless the Giver. Marianne seems to 'get it' as does Nelson Mandela, whose similarly-themed 1994 inauguration address contributed to the resonance some have embodied as copyright confusion. I have no need to dispute their sides or any interpretation of even unwritten ancient wisdom over what I now receive as the essential plain sight of Matthew chapter 5. May it also serve you as a guide despite how cold the 'weather' may get, how far away brighter days may seem or how bare our yield may become at times. We can see our potential through Kingdom eyes, let p(e)ace be still in the midst, strengthen our roots in God's Word and store the nutrition that will burst forth soon enough to everything that/there is...
