“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
The light in my aunt’s apartment seemed really dim, and with her extreme vision issues, it was especially a problem. In the lightbulb area at the store, we looked at all the different types of bulbs available, wondering which would be the brightest and most pleasant for her space. We found daylight, warm white, soft white in LED, Compact Fluorescent, and traditional shapes. So many choices to bring light into a dark space, aren’t there? What about people? Are there different levels of light we can cast into the world? I’m not sure, but I am quite sure that Shakespeare’s words are true for bulbs and for deeds — our sometimes dark and weary world simply needs a little light.
Maybe it’s when you hold the door open for the person coming out as you enter (you do hold the door, don’t you?), or maybe it’s sending a note to just say hello to someone, but any time we make an effort to do something thoughtful, we cast a lot of light in someone else’s darkness, and often in our own. After seeing several acts of unkindness in our world (that seems much easier to find in the news), it seems a good week to cast a light on the kindness of others and the opportunities for each of us to throw a few beams of our own.
The guy who cuts us off in traffic, the lady who gets in front of us in the checkout line, and the kid who takes our ball on the playground — darkness is everywhere, it seems, but is it? Let’s look at the light being shone in the world in places we’ve not considered.
You see, not every person who does good deeds, who shines their light in the darkness, has been a famous person. You don’t have to be famous to brighten the weary world, either. How can you and I make a difference in lives?
You and I might be traveling through life in very different places in the world. Maybe we worship differently, eat differently, practice different political beliefs, or speak different languages. It doesn’t matter. Soft White or Daylight, the type of bulb is not always what’s important. When we turn on a lamp in a dark room, we are all greeted with the same light that enables us to see more, often to feel safer. It is no different with good deeds and kind actions. Any bulb will provide light, and any good deed is a good deed — it doesn’t matter how magnanimous or minuscule it might appear to be. Go into the weary world of a fellow traveler and cast your light today.