Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Let your light shine


I just read Roland Yeomans’ thoughtful blog (http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com) about the need to reach out to others. To quote Roland: There is empty ground in most souls we pass. Sometimes that leeched soil is within our own soul. We cannot save the world. Often it is beyond us to even save ourselves.
That which we can do, we must do, or else we help the darkness grow thicker. Even one feeble candle can show the way for the next step.

Beautifully said, Roland. It doesn’t take much looking to find the opportunity to shine a light in a darkened corner.

Last night Simon Larter (http://www.constantrevisions.blogspot.com) spent some time – nearly two hours – going over the first 15 pages of my current WIP with me. He didn’t have to. I didn’t really expect him to. But he spread his light in my very darkened corner, giving me courage to try again and a direction to follow.

Simon wasn’t aware that on Memorial Day I lost my favorite uncle. I was saddened at the loss but relieved that his suffering was over. His funeral was the following Friday.

Hours before the service, my step-father, who has faithfully served my mother for the last 36 years, passed to his eternal reward, too. —Dad, if God asks me, I’ll happily recommend you for the biggest harp and the shiniest crown He has to give.— The next day Mother’s nursing home called to say she had pneumonia—the same thing that took Dad—and they were putting her on antibiotics.

Fortunately Mother’s pneumonia is under control. But it’s still been stressful – as anyone who has worried about a loved one will concur.

In the midst of all this, I needed to rewrite the opening of my WIP. I did take a few days off. I had to. But it was time to get back in the saddle and start the creative process again. Trouble was, I simply didn’t feel like it. I knew what I needed to say but the words would not come.

Then came Simon. I know he has a job and a young family that he gives priority time to. I know he’s working late hours on his own literary pursuits. And yet, at a time when I truly needed a candle to light my way, he held up his lamp with a steady hand.

Thank you, Simon. You’ll never know how encouraged I was by the end of our session. I’m still struggling. I probably will be for a while yet. Losses take time to reconcile. But you pulled me back on the creative path and gave me the courage and strength to continue on. And I thank you.

Thanks to you too, Roland, for reminding me that strength comes from forgetting oneself in the service of others. I hope that I can do for someone else what you two have done for me this week. 

God, let me be that feeble candle, please.

2 comments:

  1. Karen, I'm incredibly humbled by this. Truly. I'm glad I could help, even if in a small way.

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