The light in the darkness

Sometimes I think I am making progress, becoming a more spiritual person, a better person, a better leader. Sometimes I think I am calmer, more thoughtful, less likely to overreact, more likely to think well of others.

And then I find myself caught up in a conversation and hear myself pass judgement on a person or event without stopping to ask for the real details. My tongue spins a tale before it asks deeper questions. My thoughts run away with deadly scenarios, before I consider the many other possibilities. My heart forgets that everyone deserves to be heard with compassion, deserves a chance to tell their story. I judge before I understand, trust the darkest interpretation without seeing a person's inner light.

So for the rest of the season of darkness I pledge to focus on the light in others. I pledge to bring my light into every situation with the hope that it will allow others to do the same. There are dark, cold, scary places in each of...places that we hide our fears and wounds...that might be transformed with just one candle. I pledge to be that one, small, determined, courageous candle.