You are light in the darkness

Can you believe it? The holidays are here. I feel like I took down the decorations last January, blinked, and suddenly I’m putting them up again. I love it.

In my heart of hearts, I am a creator. I love making homemade gifts, drying herbs, cooking, organizing, and cleaning. I love designing shirts and making junk journals. Plugging in a glue gun or pulling out a giant old Pyrex mixing bowl from a yard sale sends a simple thrill through my soul. My life isn’t measured by grand moments or the number of people I assist, but by the simplest pleasures in which I find great light.

Lately, I’ve been overwhelmed often, seeing through the eyes of my soul and feeling the exquisite presence of love beneath all of creation. I was waiting for coffee at a local shop when I surrendered fully to the moment. The smell of fresh roast delighted my senses. Vintage Christmas music carried me back to simpler times. The baristas laughed together as they worked. To my left, a woman typed with clear focus, and on the shelves, green-and-gold mugs sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the window.  A single moment in time became magical. Before my coffee arrived, my heart was full of sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of life itself, expressed in so many forms. I went to my car and wept—overwhelmed to feel the One Love expressed in so many forms.

It’s easy to acknowledge this love when life is pleasant, and far more difficult when things are tough. I know many people who are suffering emotionally, physically, or both. If I could wave a magic wand and take their pain away, I would. Instead, I do what I can and hold a vision of their joy, health, and well-being. I am privileged to know these brave souls who strive to bring light into darkness. I am humbled by their strength and grace. I know their light will prevail.

This time of year can stir up powerful emotions. Beneath it all, we just want to give and receive love. We want to be the light that we are. And we can—no matter what’s happening in our lives.

We can snuggle under a warm blanket and sit in silent, peaceful presence. We can sing our favorite song. We can spend time with loved ones, or acknowledge our own light and strength, even if no one else is there to do it for us. We can share a smile with someone in need or speak sweetly to ourselves. We can sit with those people we wouldn’t choose to be around normally and find the light in them, or find light in a singular moment of peace and qui

The light is always available.

So as we travel through a holiday season that seemed to arrive so quickly, here are a few ways to touch the light that never leaves…

1.  Create simple, meaningful rituals that reconnect you with love.

Simple, repeatable rituals, like our holiday traditions, serve as touchstones and reminders that we are loved. Here are a few simple ones:

Take three deep breaths before awakening and say to yourself, “It’s going to be a great day,” or for some, “I can do this.”

Light a candle for a few minutes and watch it in reverent silence, allowing yourself to be mesmerized by the light.

Fix yourself a cup of warm milk before bed and sip in silence.

Listen to one nostalgic song and surrender to the good feelings, or take a walk and breath in the fresh air.

Small, easy rituals allow us to repeatedly connect with love, thus helping us believe in, and share its presence.

2. Bless everyone

Consider yourself a blessing. Tell yourself your prayers and good wishes multiply for others. Then bless everyone. When you pray for your own happiness, pray for all. When you pray for your own well-being, pray for all. When you pray for your own abundance, pray for all. “May all beings know what I am asking for…” As we pray for the good of all, including ourselves, our good feelings are multiplied, and we receive the blessings too.<br /><br />

3. Add a dash of love to all you do

A pinch of love or a sprinkle of kindness makes all moments sweeter. If anyone heard me in my house, they’d think I’m nuts. I thank my coffee maker. I tell the eggs how perfect they are. I kiss my plants.

Adding a dash of love and kindness to the simple things in life elevates you and allows you to feel the Presence more easily.

Regardless of what you celebrate—or don’t—I wish you peace, joy, love, and the deep feeling of the Presence that gives us life.