As I enjoyed a meal with a friend in Beirut, our conversation drifted across our lives. In a moment of reflection, the lightbulb just above me became a reference point to the way life shared a whispering insight.
Even as we share light and food, what we experience is uniquely our own. My visions and dreams are just that, mine. My awareness, understanding, and reflections are personal opportunities. While I can share, every individual owns her/his vision and dream. How each is consumed along with what follows, is in the context of one’s freedom. Each has the liberty to see and decide on what is used. Each control how this is used, or even if it is used. Life may be talking, but we decide if we want to listen.
I looked with an open mind to discover that there was much more. At first, it was simply an awareness of how the light was illuminating and setting the scene. As I slowed down to understand what my eyes, mind, and heart was consuming, I saw so much more. People, relationships, and conversations were captured and shared. My appreciation for what was around me went from one view to many. It was as if I saw the full cycle of what was going on around me. Once I saw this, everything changed. It was as if I was living out Paul’s old words; “If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection.” (Romans 6.7, 8)
Insight’s power is external to its source. When the power blinked off, the light went dark. I realized that my ability to see, experience learn, grow, and share is linked to my connection to Divinity. It is in the divine that I see and experience beauty. It is with divinity that I understand unconditional acceptance and belonging. It is in the divine that I can love and be loved. The reflection of the lightbulb lingers on in my mind. Today’s dawn is enhanced by the illumination. There is an opportunity for me to shine.
