YOUR "LIGHT"

From a really young age I came to realize the hard lesson that people would simply not always accept me for who I am or see the beauty that is in me .I have come to believe it is still my duty to my purpose to share the gifts I have and the light inside me with everyone I meet, something I believe most individuals come to find out on their own.Unfortunately we all aren't that lucky to see beyond the things that push to dim our light so some of our brothers and sisters struggle to love themselves and to appreciate the gifts they themselves have because they cant see them on their own.Simply because their light has been snuffed out by doubt , abuse and other seeds planted by different circumstances.

The first time my light was somewhat dimmed I was about the age of 10 (now some might ask " how do you remember that ?" and my answer would be that ,we fail to realize that how we treat individuals even in passing leaves such a huge mark on them as individuals that they carry these marks sometimes for their whole lives). I was a outspoken little girl that always loved to pray and i tried to every chance I got when it was the children's story time at church . Long story short ,none of my other peers wanted to pray on this particular day and I raised my hand and this elder grown man looked me straight in the eyes and told me i was a spoiled brat and I couldn't always get what I want , then proceeded to force someone else to pray to the point of tears.In my ten year old mind at that point I was taught the lesson that I should never be willing to do anything , neither should I volunteer when no one else wanted to even when I knew the answer or my desire was just coming from a good place. After that day I became a little quieter because I started to believe that speaking up was wrong and speaking up meant I was spoiled and I didn't want to be labeled that way. That one encounter though it might come off mild to what some other individuals might have faced that lead them to lose their voice followed me from prep school all the way to high school were my speech was so covered by reluctance that sometimes individuals thought I was quiet or maybe I had nothing valuable to say. I didn't find my " real voice and passion until I joined the peer counselling association at my high school ,were I discovered my voice though small could be a source of encouragement to others ,it could be a source of comfort and also be used as an example to other girls who were silenced,and after awhile I couldn't stop talking.

I share this brief story to bring light to the fact that many of us have allowed ourselves to hide the parts of us that would make so much difference in the world because of what people may have said to us in the past ,how someone might have treated us or simply because we are afraid that when individuals see the real us they wont like it. The truth is that individuals often go above and beyond to stifle someone with the potential to make a difference or

even to display authenticity, simply because they see something in you that they themselves wish they had. In an effort to cover that insecurity they find it easier to snuff out and stop your shine.

Each person has talents and gifts that are unique to them and an injustice is done not only to the individual and their purpose but also to someone that gift might touch when they are not shared.Yes some of us wont win countless honors or the Nobel peace prize but it counts so much more if the light you find in yourself puts even a small smile on someones face, so what are you waiting for?!. We should all strive each and every day to no more be defined by the things in our past that caused us to hide ourselves and our gifts away because inside everyone there is a light waiting to shine Through , and when you have that light you shouldn't be afraid to share it.