Seek the Light

I look out my window on this late April morning and see a gray, rainy, relentlessly dreary landscape.
Discouraged, I want to go back to bed, but my mind is awake and I know that sleep will not come. Lighting a candle, I stare at the flame and the circle of glow surrounding it, craving its tiny bit of warmth.  I see beauty, in this small thing, this light in the darkness. Next to the candle, there is a vase with a daffodil and a hyacinth, shining pink and yellow, and I marvel at the wonder of a flower.  Outside, geese fly noisily overhead and the steady drip of raindrops suddenly becomes a beautiful song with a cadence and rhythm.  The moment is transformed, as I say a prayer of thanksgiving for simple gifts and my heart opens to the Light within.

 Gazing at my candle, I ask to be guided and strengthened.  I close my eyes and imagine walking down a dark path, not quite knowing where I am going, but trusting that the light of my Source is leading me to my highest good. I choose to see the beauty, not the ugliness, of the world, not closing my eyes to the pain and need, but releasing it to an all knowing Creator for healing and restoration.

This is a strange time, no question, as we adjust to a new reality, knowing that the world will never be quite the same.  We are forced to live day by day, not knowing what the future will bring.  There is  anxiety in the uncertainty, the feeling of being on unsteady ground, but there is also a chance to live fully in the present moment, seeking the Light of God as our candle in the darkness.

 This morning, light a candle. open a window to hear the music of the morning and breathe deeply, giving thanks for every gift of life.