By Christine Kern, Intuitive Empath
6-20-18
The world is full of angst, and anger, and violence right now, and it has polarized our nation. People are attacking each other over what the “right” thing to do is, and amidst the confrontations, any hopes of reconciliation and progress are being lost. I personally have felt condemned because some others feel that I am not visibly angry enough over the current immigration tragedy, because I am not yelling and screaming and posting vulgarities on my Facebook post about what needs to be done.
People are entitled to their feelings.
I get that many people are outraged beyond action by the horrific treatment of these individuals.
But others do not get to tell me how to respond.
And I have never found anger and attacks to be useful in effecting real change. As a historian, I know that all anarchy or revolution have ever really accomplished is ultimately more chaos or the institution of new dictators to replace the ones we overthrew. I can cite examples, but this is not the place for that. Another post, perhaps.
I personally value the power of words – not vulgarities or insults, but persuasive and well-crafted arguments that educate and inform and ultimately sway opinions. Historically, these efforts have had more real effects than rising up in anger and violence.
So when people challenge me and ask “what are you doing?” I answer that I am working with words and small actions to counter the growing darkness that is clouding our country. I also still believe in the power of the system to effect change.
Yes, the system is damaged, but it is not completely dead. Not yet.
As the Chinese proverb states, it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. By letting our own powerful lights shine as a beacon to others, we are providing guidance and a way out of the muck. Michael Strassfield said, “Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.”
We each need to fuel the fire that is within us, to reflect the good that is in the world and let it shine brightly over all available space, banishing the darkness. Edith Wharton reminded us that “There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” If we can ensure that our own candles are brightly shining, that light will be reflected in the mirror of our society.
As Matthew 5:14-16 states, 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” Luke 8:16
No single individual can abolish the darkness that surrounds us in our society today. And yet, if we each tend our individual lights, when they are joined together they will create such a brilliant display of light that there can be no corner left untouched by its brightness. We need to channel our anger and energy into the focused kindling of our personal fires, so that we can stoke the world’s flames.
For, as Elisabeth Kübler-Ross wrote, “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” We need to walk the dark paths of the world, sharing our internal light, to help illuminate those who are scrabbling about in the darkness. This will help to pull others into the light and extend its glow.
That means that we must take care to build our own joy and passion, and allow ourselves those moments of happiness, even as sadness and misery continues around us. As Viktor Frankl noted, “What is to give light must endure burning.” We must not allow our flames to be extinguished, for if our embers die, we have no chance of spreading the fire to others.
There is no inherent conflict in experiencing joy and being a light and in recognizing the darkness and wanting to dispel it.
Both can happen simultaneously.
“Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, That's how the light gets in.” ~Leonard Cohen
So, go be the light today. It can start with the smallest gestures. And with each additional action, the light will spread its glow.
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