This Little Light of Mine

(originally posted June 24, 2007 on my Wordpress blog)

Sophocles' post about writing, plus this 'humorous but painful' BBC article about public opinion, plus the moral of the story in Akeela and the Bee has got me really thinking about self expression.

Akeela finds inspiration to pursue the Scripps National Spelling Bee when Lawrence Fishburne shares this quotation with her,

‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world. For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small. We were born to express the glory of God that lives in us. It is not in some of us, it is in all of us. While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others.’

originally from - Marianne Williamson in Return to Love: Reflections on a Course in Miracles

When is self-expression one-sided, self-indulgent, hurtful promulgation of error and when is it a necessary process of iron sharpening iron so that God's light can properly shine in us? Or is it always the latter? Maybe so. Even error is given opportunity for correction when it is expressed. It then needs to be accompanied by a correcting alternative though.

Regarding the problem of evil in relation to freedom of speech, maybe that snake in the Garden of Eden was a necessary opposing voice to sharpen our knowledge of and experience with the truth. We need to know what the truth is, as well as what it is not.

Writing for me is a purer process of kneading thoughts than talking or silent contemplation. Talking seems to become more selfishly competitive, easily turns into gossip, and I struggle over control issues - me or them? My silent thoughts turn into stewing about my anxieties. I find that writing helps me place my mind in my heart where I am searching for inspired truth, which seems less impeded internally or externally. Lord have mercy.