You are a unique light unto the world!
The Universe truly loves and needs you!
Your light is an integral part of the Light that permeates all space and weaves this world into being.
You are unique!
You are special!
You are a light unto the world!
It is Chanukah time, the holiday of light in the Jewish tradition.
This holiday is celebrated with the lighting of candles in the Menorah.
One candle is added to the Menorah each night.
On the first night, you light only the shammash (the candle used to light the other candles, which is located at a different height in the Menorah) and one Chanukkah candle.
By the eighth night, the whole menorah is lit.
It is a holiday that celebrates the biblical miracle when a tiny amount of oil, barely enough to last the night, lasted for eight days.
It symbolizes the truth that we, as children of life, children of an all loving God, have no need to despair or believe in lack of any kind.
We live in a miraculous, spiritual, ethereal universe in which what is needed will appear, if we only move beyond fear and limiting beliefs in lack.
It was a sunny day, and I was watching the whimsical Christmas street parade in the town of Kerikeri in the Far North of NZ.
The floats were fun and full of local kids and friendly people, all dressed with different themes.
The day felt very festive.
I was thinking about my own place in the world, my art and my own purpose in life, when right before my eyes, a library truck, painted in bright colors, drove by.
The truck had these words printed on it:
“You are unique!
There never was,
Is now,
Or ever will be,
Another you!”
Simple words, but they resonated deeply.
It is true that each and every one of us is completely unique, even though we are all ONE, beyond the veil of illusions which seems to fragment the unified Light into billions of light faced beings.
It is a scientific fact that your body is a completely unique genetic construction that will never be exactly duplicated in any other being.
Even your siblings are different from you, even though you share many similar genetic attributes.
Beyond the physical, your inner makeup consists of your own unique light, your hopes and dreams, your aspirations, your own unique imagination, your own unique talents… Your own sweet and awesome song that has never been heard before you, and will never be duplicated in another.
You are special and you have a special gift to offer to the world!
Marianne Williamson is an inspirational teacher of the ‘Course In Miracles,’ and the author of some very good spiritual books.
She is also a force for good in the world, helping people struggling with AIDS and terminal illnesses to find direction and inner peace.
Recently Marianne started to offer online free weekly live streaming talks, that are really worth signing up for, if you walk the spiritual path and seek reinforcement of how to walk the path of love in daily life.
Marianne grew up Jewish.
Her mother used to tell her bedtime stories before she fell asleep as a child.
Her mother told Marianne some biblical stories as well.
Tired of repeating the same stories again and again, her mother embellished some of the stories for her own amusement.
Into the story of how Moses parted the Red Sea so the Jewish people could escape from slavery in Egypt, Marianne’s mother weaved the message that each and every one of us is a unique individual that has a special gift to offer to the world.
She spoke of that biblical day, and said that if Moses were not there to allow God to work through him, there would not have been a miracle at all.
Moses, who had a speech impediment, had many reasons to be shy and not want to show up to do his task.
People would laugh at him, he was not so pure nor full of faith, he had dozens of doubts about himself and about God….
But he showed up and the miracle did happen through him.
Sometimes in life, despite your self doubts and insecurities, all you need to do is just show up…
Marianne’s mother pulled up the blankets to cover Marianne and concluded her bedtime story with these words:
“And if Moses were not there to part the Red Sea, there would have been no miracle, no story to tell future generations, but just a bunch of Jews at the beach!”
I would like to finish with offering a prayer.
But I do not like the traditional Jewish prayer that is said when lighting the Chanukah candles, so I am adding another beautiful prayer instead.
It is called “Merge:”
And then all that has divided us will merge.
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind.
And then both men and women will be gentle.
And then both women and men will be strong.
And then no person will be subject to another’s will.
And then all will be rich and free and varied.
And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many.
And then all will share equally in the earth’s abundance.
And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old.
And then all will nourish the young.
And then all will cherish life’s creatures.
And then all will live in harmony with each other and the earth.
And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.
(This Prayer was written by the artist Judy Chicago.)
If you wish to sign up to listen to Marianne Williamson’s inspirational free online talks:
