Love and Light Within

Hello from my heart to yours...

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.”
                                                                                  ― Og Mandino

It's still dark here in "sunny" South Florida... and there seems to be no sign of relief... the rain just keeps pounding down on us... but we keep rowing along the streets because in our hearts we know that our light comes from within... and our stars are visible in our dreams... or at least, we should know this as our truth... because as Rev. Willard Fuller said, ‎"You walk in the atmosphere of your own believing." and if you believe that you have that light within you, then, even if it is horridly dark outside, it will not affect your inner atmosphere...

In the past month or so, there has been some strange "love fest" going on between me and my friends and total strangers who have become my friend... I am seeing the "light" in so many people that I am completely relating to Teilhard de Chardin's thought that we are all spiritual beings having a human experience... I sound crazier and crazier to myself.. but I wake up and can't wait to tell Dian, a beautiful young girl who lives in Indonesia, how much I love her... I am overwhelmed with joy when I see all the little 's on my FB wall.. and the interaction between my friends and their friends all exudes love and light... 

Of course, my life isn't perfect.. and actually... pretty far from it... so much so that I was thinking of writing a blog called "the other side of the cloud of peace" .. but then that would be denying the light and the stars within me from having a chance to shine... and that wouldn't be very blessed of me, would it?

In our journey through life, we are all given challenges and tests... trouble and strife.... we all feel moments of hopelessness and despair.. it is part of our human experience.. but we have it in us to accept those times and face them head-on.. armed with the light we carry within us.. Our faith, our hope, and the love we carry in our hearts, can overcome any obstacle in our way... prayer is the steadfast way to finding our way back to ourselves and to our light source... 

This is the month of the Rosary... one of my favorite Priests and Brother in Christ gave the Catholic Council of Women a lesson on the Rosary... he confessed to us how difficult it is for him to say an entire Rosary... which we all found hilarious... in his humanness, he says that the Rosary is not for everyone... but I prayed the Rosary last night with my friends because I believe every little bit of prayer helps... and it is intended to be prayed as a meditation of the mysteries and with hope that our supplications are heard and answered.  

I read that the Tibetans use a "Prayer Wheel" ... they believe that saying the mantra (prayer) Om Mani Padme Hum, invites the blessing of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion... and by spinning the written form of the mantra on a prayer wheel, they are in constant prayer... . (Om = Generosity ; Ma = Ethics ; Ni = Patience ; Pad = Wisdom ; Me = Renunciation ; Hum = Diligence)

Whew... that sure was a tangent.... good grief... anyway, this is the prayer I offer right now.... I personally like to say prayers of thanksgiving as I believe that in being grateful for the blessings I have, helps in diminishing the darkness... 

"Infinite Spirit of God, I thank you for the love and the light You have graciously placed in my heart.  May I be able to draw upon its strength always... knowing that You are who replenishes it daily... Thank you for the spiritual beings you have chosen as my travel companions through life... May our lights join so Divinely that there is no possible way we cannot be the blessed people You intend for us to be... Amen." 

...... may you all love the light that guides you from within... may you see only stars in moments of darkness... may you be a source of light for someone who needs faith, hope and love in their lives... always remembering that this human experience you are having is only for a short time... as the cherished blessing that you are to the world, shine your love and light so that everyone realizes how loved beyond measure we all are.....

May your afternoon be filled with light,

With love,

Elena