Your Responsibility to Shine

October 31, 2008 · by Joanna Paterson · in

When thinking about writing and responsibility, let’s not forget this part.

Your responsibility to shine. To lift the lid off.  To write your most brilliant, sparkling stuff.

To move mountains, and soften hearts.

To write the words that’ll make the difference.

To toot, sweetly.

To join the ranks of the fire breathing writing dragons.

In the words of Marianne Williamson*:

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.

Or, to go from the sublime to the ridiculous, in the words of Take That:

Stop being so hard on yourself It’s not good for your health I know that you can change So clear your head and come round You only have to open your eyes You might just get a big surprise And it may feel good and you might want to smile, smile, smile.

(Oh go on, here it is: you know it’s best played so you can sing along too!) What happens to your words when you lift the lid off – and how can you tell when you do? If you know there’s more and you’re wanting to prise off that lid: what one thing can you do today (read, write, listen to, sing) that will give you the courage to shine? ~~~ This piece is a the final contribution to writing with responsibility.  It’s also the 500th post at Confident Writing!  Seems like a good one for that milestone :-) * Marianne Williamson quote from A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”.  Used in a speech by Mandela, and often attributed to him.

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