Let The Light Shine Through
Lou Ann and I went to see A Wrinkle in Time today. A huge movie with a stellar cast and a wonderful story about all of us. There was a line in the movie that said “wounds are where the light shines through”. All of us have wounds and we patch them up both physically and emotionally. Many of us try to hide them or forget them when they carry too much trauma. This movie line was perhaps a paraphrase of the remarkable Persian poet Rumi. He said ” The wound is the place where the light enters you.”
This is what some of the greatest thinkers in existence knew, and what every person who wants to be at peace should: your suffering is not punishment. It is a tool, like anything else, to deepen your awareness and expand your consciousness. In other words: to make you more present, and more capable of feeling the joy and light and gift of that present moment. That probably sounds deliriously, annoyingly optimistic, especially when you’re in the thick of it, but remember that anger is recognition, and the inability to accept.
The paragraph above was written by Brianna Wiest. Here are some other quotes: “I think that we are like stars. Something happens to burst us open; but when we burst open and think we are dying; we’re actually turning into a supernova. And then when we look at ourselves again, we see that we’re suddenly more beautiful than we ever were before!” C. JoyBell C.
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” Kahlil Gibran
“Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart.” Fyodor Dostoevsky
Perhaps we can be thankful for the pain and suffering we have experienced in our life. They have honed and designed us into the magnificent beings that we are. When we finally surrender and allow the light to shine through all our life experiences we do indeed get to be a shining star! From my shining heart to yours, Thomas