The Lighthouse

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us… Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do… It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Marianne Williamson

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Sailing through uncharted waters, lost between waves of uncertainty and change, it’s easy to drown it all. There's nothing around me but darkness. Am I lost? Will I ever make it to land, or will I let these new currents consume me?

Just as I’m about to lie down, a light flashes in the corner of my eye. Hope flutters through me. I'm not alone. In this big world, I am not alone.

I quickly row my boat until I reach a beach. The sand is warm, heated by the power of the light that guided me. I look up and see that this light belongs to a lighthouse.

"Thank you for saving me," I say.

"You saved yourself. I only guided you."

"What do I do now?"

"Now you guide others."

I look out to sea and see hundreds of lights flickering on like stars, bringing light to the dark sky.

These people were not afraid. They found their way onto land and built a castle of light. They did this for themselves, to bring light to who they are and to the world around them. But in the process, they became a beacon of hope for every lost sailor around them.

I understood what I had to do.

I picked up a brick and started building.

I will shine, not be dimmed.

If you ever think you're "just one person," ask yourself what's holding you back. Is it the fear of failure? Or the fear of success?

If you fail, the lowest you can go is rock bottom. From there, the only way is up. But if you succeed? Well, there's no telling how far you'll go. And that is terrifying. So hold onto that fear and take a step. Keep stepping until you can open your arms and fly, leaving fear behind.

It’s okay to be the first.

It's okay to try new things and be different.

It’s okay to live.

Who knows what you’ll find when you light up the world?