It was an interesting question. “Don’t you think that in saying how you’re making a difference, you negate the difference?” I was asked.
No. I replied. Because it’s not about ‘how’ I’m making a difference. It’s about ‘making a difference’. It’s about inspiring others to see the difference they make is in their very presence. The very essence of their being their most magnificent self, right now.
“Oh. So it’s about giving purpose to this meaningless life,” they replied.
And that would be true, except, I don’t experience this life as meaningless. In fact, I think there is great meaning in every life. Great import and significance.As Marianne Williamson writes in A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles
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. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. 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. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. 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.
I believe we all want to make a difference. That inherent in our nature is the drive to make the world a better place, to cast light in the darkest corners, to shine hope in the deepest night of our souls.
I believe that within each of us is the spark of brilliance that can/must ignite change in the world — it’s just we’ve forgotten how to live its beauty. In the journey into being who we are today, we’ve forgotten the truth of who we are — beautiful. magnificent. radiant. miraculous.
We are all magnificent. Miracles of life.
In our birth the world was made different. Our becoming human form changed the world forever. And in our birth, our magnificence came into being through the unique DNA we each carry into the world.
In the journey through life, we have forgotten this. We have forgotten that we are each and every one of us precious, unique beings of life. We each have gifts to share, stories of wonder to tell, miracles to unfold. We are each different and in that difference is the difference we make in the world.
Making a difference isn’t about the things I do to create change in the world. It is all about how I am being my most incredible self through living my difference to its fullest. It’s about living up to my most brilliant dreams come true so that I can be of service to the world and bring out the best of life all around me.
It’s about stepping out of the shadows of fear into the light of being all that I am meant to be when I let go of believing, I don’t make a difference.
We all make a difference.
For today, let your difference be the brilliant spark of your magnificence enlightening the world with all the beauty, joy and Love in your heart. Let your difference be felt in the simple acts of kindness you share through loving acts of grace.
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today’s Peace Poem: Peace all Around
Dare Boldly 
I like that quote Mark included. You two have some interesting dialogue here.
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As always Tandy — our hearts are connected! Lovely to see you. And yes, there are those days when my light is not as bright — and still I must shine if I am to be the light I wish to be in the world. Hugs
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Thank you Louise. This speaks to my heart today. I truly believe that we all want to make a difference and that when I let my light shine it helps to ignite the lights of others. This is a reminder for me on days that my light is not as bright as it should be.
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LOL — Thanks Mark. I actually really appreciated the question because it caused me to think about it — lol — and write about it! I do appreciate your words — you make me smile.
You too are a writer and in your writing I find myself asking myself the questions I’d like sometimes to avoid! 🙂
Hugs
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LG,
You took the bait.
You felt compelled to respond to a critic. All writers get that sometime. I used to, a lot, until a friend offered me perspective and encouraged me to ignore and dismiss those idiots (along with what to say!).
Criticism of an idea or an argument has its place – but criticism of someone’s committment and belief should be put back to soak in the pickle-barrel it came from ….
Your defence is, in my view, not required.
Whenever you are set upon by small minded silly critics, I suggest you remember that great Teddy Roosevelt quote:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
You are, daily, braver than most, clearer than most, more dedicated than most and – most of all, you are a writer.
Write.
It is your column, your invention, your perspective and your right – even when you are wrong-headed once in a while – to put your points and points of view out there in the arena.
Your fans, of which I am one, may have contrary comment on your argument sometimes but we have no right or place in criticizing what you do. If we don’t like it, we don’t have to read it . . .
And we read it because of two things – it lets us look inside you without the need for surgery, and you give us reason, cause and motivation to look inside ourselves.
And, you are a writer … you can’t help yourself!
Have a great day …. whether your difference is discernable or not on any particular day, it is the making and the feeling that matters as much or more than the telling.
Cheers,
Mark
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Thank you Diana! 🙂
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Well said! Life is meaningful and you make it even more meaningful for me – thanks for writing this post!
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