This light of ours…

Becoming broken

It’s something I fought for years

It’s something I didn’t understand

It’s definitely something I didn’t want to be

Until I was

Utterly physically broken

Inescapably

Irrefutably

Irreversible, they said

Until I wasn’t

Undeniably

Unbelievably

Back together, sort of

One of my favorite quotes is from Leonard Cohen

“In the broken places, the light shines through.”

Isn’t that the call of Christianity..to be a light

Maybe it’s the way

Maybe like Medusa said “Smile at the obstacle, for it is a bridge."

I don’t think anyone who lives long enough escapes pain

It seems to be as integral as joy

Maybe they balance each other out

Maybe we can only enjoy joy fully, when we know it’s opposite

What I have learned is this...it’s all part of the story

And your story and your journey will have plot twists

unforeseen circumstances

A villain or two and definitely a hero

The light gets in so we can shine on the path to help others find a way

Just like the song from childhood says...

“this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine”

Maybe it’s an early lesson that reminds us when we’re older and hurting

Everyday somebody is suffering somewhere

Today it may be you

So go ahead and fall apart

It’s okay to not know what to do

It’s okay to ask for help

“Let me fall is I must fall. The one I will be become will catch me.”

Baal Shem Tov is who said this, I don’t know him

But I know he’s been broken too

It’s ok because his light shine made this for us

Just imagine what you will do with yours

And if today, it’s not you that struggles

Say thank you and turn on your light

Someone needs it