“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.”
― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”
Our deepest fear is not that we are powerful beyond measure. Our deepest fear is that we are solely burdened with the responsibility to make life work. It is the endless feeling of inadequacy, of not doing enough, of failing in some core way to be big and bright and bold enough that frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘When is it enough? What is wrong with a quiet walk and hours spent admiring the variations of bark on a tree, its subtle colorations and textures?’ Actually, who told you that accomplishment was your purpose on earth? You are God experiencing herself in the fullness of her being, through your unique body. Your suffocating your soul for the sake of money or attention, reputation or influence does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about constantly striving to be brighter than your neighbor, to be an influencer, to feign superiority of knowledge or insight over someone whose life you could never understand. We are all meant to be kindred, each fulfilling our unique niche in the ecosystem of life. We were born to delight in the body of God who is our mother and the ground of our being. We alone are not meant to save the world; it is everyone’s job to do our little part. And as we let go of the need to dominate at all costs, we stop suffocating everyone else and allow them to breathe for once. As we stop demonizing our fear and accept it as one of many beautiful sensations keeping us vital on this beautiful world, our presence invites the presence of others.
