People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out…

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out… – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Beauty comes from within, and it must be lit from within as well. Let your light shine.

What does that mean?
This is truly a beautiful quote, and it was spread across two tweets, and the full text of the tweets is as follows:

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

Think about that for a moment. People sparkle and shine when things are going well for them. They are bright and full of color, basking in the light of the sun.

However, when it is dark out, when things are going badly, only those with a light within themselves will show their true beauty. The others, while still there, are nowhere near as beautiful, as their light has gone dim.

This is a quote from a doctor who worked with they dying, which is about as dark as things could get for most people. I believe this quote is related to her hospice work.

Why is keeping your light on important?  
This isn’t about leaving the front porch light on. While that may have some appeal from the curb, the point of the quote is to leave our inner lights on, especially in the dark times. It is these times when others, as well as ourselves, need to see that light, and know our true beauty.

By keeping our light on, we help to strengthen ourselves and others. Not by trickery or by pretending that nothing is wrong, but by being a light for others despite what is going on in our lives. We become an example of perseverance and strength to others who might be having doubts.

Those with an inner light are like lighthouses to those who are lost in the darkness. That light helps reassure them that things are alright, or that they can be endured. That light helps them find their way, and guides them towards their goals. That light can be a life saver, or a comfort in their final days.

And by keeping our own light on, we can also comfort ourselves. We can remind ourselves of our own strength, and our own will to continue, even when things seem particularly dark. Sometimes this can be the most important reason of all to keep our inner light burning brightly.

Where can I apply this in my life?
To me, this is more of a when rather than a where, and I believe that ‘all the time’ is the best possible answer. All the reasons why are in the prior section, and I believe all of them are important. I imagine there is someone who was that bright light, shining for you at some point in your life.

I used to be bright most of the time, but darken as I got moody, and then completely dark when things weren’t going as well as I hoped or expected. I don’t run as hot and cold as I used to, and my darkest days still have some light. However, it’s not always enough to show my true inner beauty, and I’m still working on that.

What do I think about when things seem bad, when things seem so dark that my light is threatened with extinguishment? To start with, I try to think about anything other than that which concerns me. We tend to get what we focus on, so if I focus on what I don’t want, what will I get? Yep.

That doesn’t mean to ignore it, but instead to focus on ways to alter how you will be affected. Can you make it less painful or harmful in some way? Can you deflect the worst of it, instead of taking the damage head-on? What can you do to change your course to avoid the problem entirely?

In this manner, you can start to lift the darkness, both by finding hope in a less unpleasant result and by pulling your focus to something you can do about it, rather than dwelling on it. As you find rays of hope, your light begins to shine a little brighter, and your true beauty can be more easily seen.

Other ways can include remembering that of the seven plus billion people on the planet, you are probably not having the worst day. In fact there are probably millions if not billions of people having far worse a time than you are. Sometimes a change in perspective or attitude can be immensely helpful.

I have used these techniques as well as plain old stubbornness and dogged persistence. Sometimes your best option is to grin and bear it, and refuse to allow it to dim your light. That certainly isn’t easy, but it can be done. I imagine there are other methods one could try as well.

Those are some of the ways I try to keep my inner light going. How do you do it? What works for you? Feel free to leave a comment below, that we might try your methods and add them to our tool box of ideas.

From: Twitter, @Randy_Couture
confirmed at : http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Elisabeth_K%C3%BCbler-Ross first quote
Photo by Jef Fisher

Related articles

For some odd reason, my ‘related articles’ app is still face down in the mud. I hope to have something that works by early next week…