Keep Shining

The sun had not been up long enough to convince this lamp that its work was done. It was still ablaze, warding off the shadows and keeping one little corner of the world safe. I have never noticed this lamp to be burning on any other morning of my everyday walks. That must be why it captured my attention. In all honesty, I had never even noticed there was a lamp there at all.

I hadn’t noticed because I’d never walked by the lamp when it was doing what a lamp is meant to do; I had never seen the lamp shine. But here it stood, in all of its glory.

It seems to me that this is true of us as well. When we are where we should be, doing what we are meant to do, our lives shine. Those who pass through our lives notice, they can’t help themselves. We know what a rare and beautiful thing it is to bump into one who, by being who they are, is warding off the shadows.

We can ward of the shadows by shining the light of compassion into a hurting world. We can shine hope into a struggling world by being positive. It is hard not to notice a life that shines peace into the face of chaos or acceptance into a world divided. Even those who stand against such virtues notice, in spite of all efforts to the contrary. Light cannot be ignored.

The Gospel tells us that “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” Sometimes it is hard to believe this truth. But these are not the times to give into despair. These are the times to keep shining. These are the times to commit ourselves anew to ward off the shadows. These are the times that call us to be who we are, doing what we do, day after day, in our little corner of the world. Why? Because it matters. Someone is passing by.

Peace.