"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light and not our darkness that most frightens us." -Marianne Williamson, Spiritual Activist and Found of The Peace Alliance, Marianne Williamson books//

This is a special post. I received a very nice e-mail from a reader named Kate asking for my thoughts on the Marianne Williamson quote featured. It's always nice to know that others appreciate my thoughts, so after thinking on it for a week I am ready to share. Everyone should go and check out Kate's blog Ahead of the Wave.

My initial thought when reading these three powerful lines is that most people are motivated by fear. We learn to be afraid of things at a very young age, in the form of a long list of 'don'ts' that are meant to protect us.

The problem is that too many people develop a habit of being afraid of everything, including themselves. It's just easier to think of yourself as a loser than a winner, and you will never suffer for a lack of others wanting to reinforce those negative beliefs.

Allowing yourself to live in darkness is appealing to many because they think it hides their flaws, or it gives them the opportunity to go through life unnoticed. Personally, I don't understand the point of this. Is there any person living who is perfect? Certainly not. We all have faults and weaknesses, but these things don't have to be a negative. Where we are weak, others are strong; and, thus, the wonderful interdependence of the world carries on.

I also don't understand why people don't want others to notice them. These people are 'watchers,' and life happens to them and not because of them. They have strengths that could be leveraged to make a positive difference in the world, yet they choose to do nothing with them. In my opinion, this is a cowardly approach to life, and the world suffers by not benefiting from these peoples' potential contributions.

The fact is that people make a choice about how they are going to live their lives. I believe that most understand that they have strengths or something of value to offer the world; however, they make a decision (excuse) to hide in the dark, rather than act in the light. They are afraid to show their strengths because it would simultaneously reveal their weaknesses.

If you're a religious person, then you probably believe that God gave you certain gifts in life. Do you think he wants you to hide them? Isn't that being selfish? If you're not a religious person, then you probably believe that genetics and environment shaped your inherent strengths and weaknesses. But even if you don't feel a moral responsibility to share your strengths and contribute, isn't it rational to believe that society suffers from your apathy?

Every person has the ability to make a positive difference in the world by letting their "light" shine. It takes courage to live your life in the light, and you may experience a higher degree of scrutiny for doing so. Don't be afraid though, as there are many of us waiting to cheer you on and lend a helping hand of support.

Thanks for requesting this post Kate! I really enjoyed sharing my thoughts on this topic. Please feel free to share your thoughts as well. Leave a comment.

Related Posts:

The Solution to All of the Worlds Problems
Living a Courageous Life
Don't Be One of the Herd