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It’s that time of year again. This week is officially the end of summer. As summer turns into fall and then fall into winter, I have to admit, this is not my favorite time of year. The cold air starts to set in which usually chills me to the bone. The daylight hours seem to fade quickly, leaving us surrounded in mostly darkness. And my favorite part of summer…the Sun…may still be out, but it sure doesn’t seem to shine as bright.
And as this season turns from summer into fall, I realize it’s time to put away my sunglasses and to pack up my swimming suits. Because when I tilt my head up to the sky, I don’t feel the warmth and happiness I did during those short summer months. My favorite season is over. And I already know that I am going to miss the sun. I am going to miss the warmth. I am going to miss the light.
But as I pause for a few minutes reflecting on all that will be missed, I start to have another thought. A thought about, not only the seasons changing, but of something much bigger than this. And then it hits me…
Maybe this year can be different. Maybe this year will be different. Because as we are all turning that corner together with nothing but darker and colder days ahead, I start to realize that perhaps we don’t have to miss the sun at all. Possibly the warmth will stay with us, and there could even be a chance that the light will be stronger and brighter than any other winter before this one.
So instead of feeling sad as the season changes, I am choosing, from here on out, to let this time of year be a reminder to me. A reminder of what can change and of what should change. A reminder that sun, light, and warmth can be here all year around, if we allow it. Maybe there is hope that things really can be different this time around.
So how can this be? How do we keep the sun and warmth around all year long without having to pack up and move to the Caribbean? How do we keep the light shining so brightly through all of the dark days ahead that we don’t ever need to put away those sunglasses & swimming suits? How do we keep the hope alive that things can be different?
There is really only one solution that I see…really only one answer. There is really only one ray of hope to making things different than the way they were before. And this one solution…it’s us. We need to make it happen!
So what do we need to do?
Well, we need to be the Sun…We need to be the Warmth…We need to be the Light! We need to be that ray of hope for each other. And yes, it would help if we could do this for each other through the winter months to keep us “warm,” but mostly, I am talking about us needing to do this for each other now…and always.
So as this winter season approaches, let’s figure out how we can be the Sun. And here is how I think we should do it…
Every.Single.One.Of.You…literally all of you…you have a gift, you have a talent, and you have a purpose for being here on this Earth. You are somebody important in this world whether you realize that or not. And it’s time to reflect upon the gifts you have been given and figure out how to “Let Your Light Shine”.
There is something truly magical about your warm and bright light. This enchanted light is so powerful that the best way to describe it is with a quote by Katrina Mayer that states, “Let your light shine so brightly that others can see their way out of the dark.”
In other words, this winter season, take a few minutes each week and look around you to see who needs your help pulling them out of the sad and lonely times they are experiencing. Maybe it’s somebody who just needs a visitor. Maybe it’s somebody who is dreading the holiday season because they have lost someone they loved. Maybe a person in your life just needs you to give them hope with a simple reminder of how truly important they are in this world. Whatever the reason, use your light to help them get out of their own darkness, and let them feel your warmth as you surround them with your love.
So as the summer turns into fall and fall into winter and the daylight hours seem to quickly fade, let’s not be sad about this beautiful season coming to an end. Instead, let this be a reminder to no longer accept the darkness approaching us. Let your light shine for all the world to see. Let that “brightness” surround us all daily. And if we can all do this for one another, there is one thing I am certain of, there will never be reason…ever again…to put away those sunglasses and to pack up those swimming suits.
Xoxo
Marsha
*For those of you struggling with something in life or have a topic of interest that you want me to talk about in this blog, email me at BeYourBestSelfBlog@gmail.com. Let’s work together to Be Our Best Selves!
Resources: Mayer, Katrina. “Katrina Mayer Positivity in Action”. https://katrinamayer.com.
Photo Credit: Photo by Perfecto Capucine from Pexels
You are so insightful!! Your daughter will realize this some day so hang in there 🙂
Gail -thanks so much for reading and following my blog! Xoxo