Is it any wonder that so many religions or cultures celebrate the ‘Light’?
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwansaa and Hindu Diwali – all Holiday celebrations of Light. Whether it is Christ as the Light of the world, the miracle of the lighted lamp in Hanukkah, the seven candles of the principles of Kwansaa, or the celebration of good triumphing evil in the festival of Light in Diwali—there is something about Light that illuminates our path. (Yes, we’re past the Holiday season, but bear with me here…)
Cultures too – Sweden, with St. Lucia Day following the longest day of the year, is lit ablaze in candles, St. Marten’s Day in Holland with lighted lanterns, and Loi Krathlong in Thailand with wishes tied to candles and set afloat in the sea. The issue of Light as a deep metaphor for guidance seems to be universal.
Any particular religion does not have a corner on Light, yet all believe they do. It is clear that despite each religious belief, there are other beliefs that see Light as applicable to theirs. And so the issue of Light is universal as it represents that which is ablaze with humanity and hope.
Not long ago, an Institute team member passed away. She was a pagan and I am a Christian. She asked me “Why are you friends with me? I am pagan, you Christian.” I asked her, ‘Why are you friends with me? I am Christian, you pagan.” And she would roar with laughter at what she thought was ironic, although I did not.
In her all-too-short life, she used her stealth computer skills to locate pedophiles online and turn them in to the FBI. Her life was often threatened in that line of work. She used her feminism to help rescue women from domestic violence and sex trafficking. She used her compassion to house the homeless and emotionally burdened who could not find housing. And in her last years, she used her big heart to drive cross country transporting animals to no kill facilities—for free.
The purpose of Light is to clear the darkness. Most of the time, that darkness is metaphoric. We bring what we care about to the task. We light the way for others to find the lighted path out of homelessness, addiction, sex trafficking, or lives stuck in puppy mills and dog fighting. We bring what we have—our own empathy and humanity—to help the abused, teach the illiterate to read, or comfort the dying. We are the hands and feet of Light. Not a metaphoric Light but a literal one. What illuminates someone’s darkness is the breath of humanity, eye ball to eye ball, caring, reaching out, and touching. We don’t bring a literal candle to feed the homeless, we are the candle.
Being the candle makes us a Light Bearer—lighting the path for someone who is searching, expelling the darkness. No wonder God proclaimed ‘Let there be Light’! It was His call to every person to be Light to expel darkness.
I wrote my friend’s eulogy in which I declared her a Light Bearer—to the victims of pedophiles, to the victims of domestic violence, to the victims of sex trafficking, to victims of homelessness and emotional woundedness, and to the furry victims. She used her Light to expel darkness, to illuminate the way out for countless. My eulogy was encountered by various religious as ‘nice’ but it did not meet the criteria of their religion of ‘The Light’ who then attempted to discount the lives that were saved because her light was perceived to not be their light.
She answered the call when God said “Let there be Light” and she said “I will be it!” and she was.
The universal call to be Light Bearers is applied to each us. It is not just Jews or Hindus called to bring their celebrations of Light to the world, but all of us. And if my celebration of Light is different than yours, so be it. Just be it!
As we round out another year, I hope you are finding that your own recovery is a form of Light—a path out of darkness that has been illuminated by what you have dedicated yourself to—recovery. Strong recovery always produces the next generation of Light Bearers—in your own traditions and beliefs that dispel someone else’s darkness just by giving what you have—the strength of your recovery. You might think “I am still so broken” but what has grown in you through recovery is more than the person you encounter may have. The knowledge of your experience is a Light. The books you read, the videos you watch, the websites you know—all Light.
Each of us is a Light Bearer and can be the very thing that dispels the darkness for another. Before you discount how far you have come, it is not yours to redirect the proclamation of ‘Let there be Light’!
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
(I know you are singing it….)
I’m gonna take this light around the world and I’m gonna let it shine.
I’m gonna take this light around the world and I’m gonna let it shine.
I’m gonna take this light around the world and I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
I won’t let anyone blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine.
I won’t let anyone blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine.
I won’t let anyone blow it out, I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Songwriters: SCOTT, STEPHEN H. / DP,
Go light someone’s path in the coming year, starting with your own!
