Let your light shine

It is with great sadness that I share with you that I’ve lost two dear and wonderful people in my life that I loved very much. These remarkable individuals left beautiful and indelible marks on my heart that began when I was a small child. My aunt Margret died suddenly in her sleep in September and her husband, my uncle Victor died suddenly on Sunday night. Their deaths happened within an eight week period of each other. It’s sad and yet beautiful at the same time. They were very special people in my family and to my family and especially to me. They were special because of how they lived and loved and helped others. Their lives made a difference. And their lives mattered to many. Their deaths have prompted me to think a lot about my life and my life purpose and the legacy I will leave behind. I’m asking myself these days: Is my life making a difference? The answer: I think it is. I try to live a life that focuses on loving God and loving people and adding value every single day. I'm learning that no one can confidently say that he or she will still be living tomorrow. Tomorrow is never promised, not for you, not for me, not for anyone. What we have is today. We have now. We have this moment. And moments count.

And because moments count, we should choose to celebrate and live with gratitude. Let's choose to celebrate something good in our day, every day and let us thank God for our blessings, big and small. If you say to yourself that you can't think of a single good thing that happened today and yet woke up with the ability to see and walk, hear and speak, then give God thanks for that because that in itself is a blessing, it's no small thing. Yes, today may not be perfect, but there's something good in every day. I'm learning that we’re as happy and as grateful and content as we decide to be. We hold the power to believe and see the good in each day and we have the power to choose to live with gratitude. I believe that when we choose to live with gratitude, joy inevitably rises. And when tomorrow arrives, let's not regret getting older. Let's not regret it because I'm learning that getting older is a privilege that so many are denied. Let’s stop being complainers and awfulizers. It's easy to fall into that trap, isn't it? Let’s stop complaining about the wrinkles on our skin or the grey hair that grows on our head or the “readers” (glasses) we need to read. Let’s choose to appreciate the beauty and wonder that exists with ever new sun rise and let us embrace the beauty that radiates from our soul when we realize and embrace that we were fearfully and wonderfully made with purpose by a holy God who loves us endlessly. Let us realize and embrace that real beauty is internal first and only visible when we allow it to be manifested externally by the way we think and speak, live and love.

Forty four years on planet earth has taught me that we are most beautiful when we choose to let our light shine. It's beautiful because that light, your light radiates love. And love dear one is what it's all about because love always makes a difference.

So my question to you my darlings is: Will you choose to let your light shine on today? 

Until next time,

Ruthie

Real beauty is internal first and only visible when we allow it to be manifested externally by the way we think and speak, live and love.