The peace of God is shining in me now. –A Course in Miracles
The year is past the halfway mark. Maybe it’s a good time to pause and reflect. I know the calendar year is an artificial structure imposed on the ebb and flow of seasons, but it is nevertheless a good reminder of the preciousness of every moment.
In the northern hemisphere, the solstice has passed and the long sunny days of summer have begun to shorten. How perfect and balanced that in the southern hemisphere, the days are getting longer. There is always light. The sun never stops shining. In the darkest night of winter that seems to stretch on forever, the sun shines on undimmed.
Shine is my word of the year this year. I chose it, or rather it chose me, in the icy darkness of winter, when days were short and light seemed far away. Like the sun ever shining, my word reminds me that the light within is never extinguished no matter the season or the weather of my life’s circumstances. I can block my awareness of the light, but I cannot change it. It shines on, asking nothing of me, needing nothing from me. So generous.
That same light shines in all of us, in everything. We need only uncover our eyes and look. Light will flood a darkened room if the door is opened just a crack. It doesn’t take much for us to let our ever brilliant light shine forth. A tiny willingness is all.
The peace of God is shining in me now.
Let all things shine upon me in that peace,
And let me bless them with the light in me.
–A Course in Miracles
Do you have a word of the year this year? Would you like to share reflections on it (or any other thoughts) in the comments?
PS--I am adding this to let you know that I'm headed to the cabin for the weekend, so I'll be away from the computer. Please leave a comment, and please excuse the delay in its appearance. I will publish your comment just as soon as I get home!
related posts: So Generous; Rise and Shine
Galen, your beautiful posts always put me in my "Happy Place". :) No, I don't have a word for the year, but what a great idea! Let me ponder that one . . .
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you!
Martha, Thank you for the kind words.
DeleteI do, it's been two words, joy and happiness, which I have been finding in spades this year! A beautiful post Galen!
ReplyDeleteHi, Tracy. Good to see you! You've chosen two great words. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteMy word of the year has been THANKFUL. I try to live and be thankful even on my less perfect days. My mothers nickname for my daughter was sunshine. So shine is a great word in my memories.
ReplyDeleteBonnie, Thankful is a wonderful word. It's really the only word any of us would ever need. Thanks for commenting. Best regards to Sunshine!
DeleteMine is gratitude and happiness, Galen. I always looked for the small things, Galen... but tragic losses can cloud our vision somewhat. I am already astigmatic and shortsighted (physically) to begin with. So reinforcing beliefs on gratitude and happiness became compulsory. I've embraced this. Your post is like a gentle nudge! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteVidya, Gratitude and happiness go hand in hand. When we can be grateful even in challenging circumstances, then happiness will surely follow. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI rememeber when you chose SHINE in this new year. My word this year is SPLENDOR - to live in the splendor of life - enjoying, reflecting and reaching.....
ReplyDeleteGalen you do SHINE and you are reflecting your light and your word this year.
Keep on shining my friend and I will keep on being in splendor!
Nancy
Nancy, What a glorious word. I would love to hear more about how splendor is playing out in your life this year. Thanks for your kind words.
DeleteLovely writing and inspiring the light to shine today - whereas here we are having thunder storms and I had to turn on the lights to get around clearly....We did have shine yesterday for which I am grateful.
ReplyDeleteI did not chose a word this year....or maybe it is just healing...I am trying to take care of a number of things that have been plaguing me and I have been putting aside. Yesterday I had a cyst removed from my spine (what a relief from pain) and I have done a huge elimination diet and am eating very clean for awhile - vegan.
I am also trying everyday just to do what I want to do...I want to put the bunches of broccoli in the freezer for shine in the winter - I want to pick the blueberries and make beautiful salads. I think I needed the re-attitude because everything was feeling stale...
Patricia, Maybe your word this year is healing. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteGalen,
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your posts. Just thinking of "shine" makes the world seem to smile. As far as my own word, I think this year it is "commit"...deciding that talk is cheap and commit means take action whether about a personal, professional or social issue.
Have a wonderful weekend. Galen
Kathy, That is a powerful word indeed. I'd love to hear how that plays out in your life this year. Thanks for your comment.
Deleteoh shine is such a delightful perspective! I would like Gods light to shine through all of us! I preach this to my kids all the time...this little light of mine...
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend! a weekend at the cabin sounds wonderful!
Annmarie, Love that song. I'm headed to the cabin right now. Hope you have a great weekend, too. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteWell it's not the word that I would choose but the word that consistently pops into my brain is persevere I'm sure that counselors would have a field day with that one LOL.
ReplyDeleteRiley
Riley, That's a good word! Sometimes my word seems to choose me and sometimes I'm not sure I like it. One year my word was Prepare. Hmmm. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI have received so much from the course in miracles. I love these excerpts. I love the reminders!
ReplyDeleteJodi, I'm going through the course for the third time, so it is fresh in my mind. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteI had a dark period in my life, and my word then was shine. Now, I guess my word is light. I would love to be that.
ReplyDeleteLike the course in miracles quotes. Have a great time at the cabin.
Myrna, Shine and light go well together. I just got back from the cabin and had a great time. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI have never chosen a word for the year...what a lovely idea. I too am goal oriented and usually my choice for the year will be books. One year I read very old books, another only book by foreign authors and so forth. But, the strange thing is, I usually don't do it consciously. The momentum comes from a place that I do not know...it is just there.
ReplyDeleteI hope your weekend is beautiful. Thinking of you.
b
Barbara, You are a one person book club! I did have a great weekend at the cabin. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteDid my words go away? Sigh. Maybe it is for the best. I hope you have a beautiful weekend. I am thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteb
Barbara, Your words are not lost! I use comment moderation which means that I see comments before they are published. When I'm away from the computer, then there is a delay until I get back to the computer and publish them. I probably don't really need moderation--I publish everything that people write. But awhile back, I had a commenter who was writing really offensive things using profanity, so I switched on the moderation feature to delete those before they got published.
DeleteAt the start of the year I created a vision board and my word for the year is 'Create'. I can see the power of that visualization exercise coming through in my life - I'm filled with a lot of new ideas this year. May you continue to Shine - today and everyday, Galen. You are a beacon to me anyway ♥
ReplyDeleteCorinne, You are always full of new and creative ideas, so that vision board is working! Thanks for the kind words.
DeleteMy word this year is 'grateful'. To me, it was long overlooked.
ReplyDeleteThat is really the only word any of us need.
DeleteGalen, you brighten my day as always. Such inspiration from 'shine'. I'd like to choose one word, but my focus so far this year has been on love and joy...for all.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend.
Elle
xoxo
Elle, Love and joy go together. Hope you are having a good weekend. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteHi Galen,
ReplyDeleteI don't have a word for this year - not yet! I love Nancy's word, splendour, but I think my word would have to be "peace". We named our property "Serenity" when we moved here. Peace is a little different. It's been a peaceful summer so far, but the company is about to converge on us early next month!
Good idea choosing a word for the year. I can see this would be powerful!
I hope you are enjoying the cabin!
Lori
Lori, What a great idea to name your property! Now you have me thinking about what to name mine. I know what I would name my cabin, but what about my home? Hmmm. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteLoved this post..and loved the word you chose, "shine"! I think this year could be summed up in two words, "breathe" and "chant"..I have found great peace and centering in focusing on my breath and chanting. It has brought me into a deeper state of awareness has appreciation of life.
ReplyDeleteJessica, Two great words! I remind myself to belly breathe all the time. I haven't really done much chanting, but when I have done it in a group it was very powerful. Thanks for your comment.
DeleteI wish I could share a photo with you here Galen of sunlight flooding through the window of a church here in Nicaragua. It was truly awesome! I'm going to email it to you. The photo just shows hope and God flooding into the church!
ReplyDeleteI like the word shine too and plan to adopt it:) "We need to only uncover our eyes and look" is my bit of inspiration and freedom for the week.
This is the third time this week I've been referred to the course in miracles - i think that's a sign:) to look into it more.
Vishnu, Thank you for the lovely photo. I just saw it. You are welcome to adopt Shine as your word. Third time in one week? Sounds like a cosmic nudge! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteNever picked a word this year. If I did it would be peace. Just peace. Is there anything better? Sandra
ReplyDeleteSandra, Nothing better indeed. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteNice post Galen. I think my word for the year is enjoyment. Enjoying life in little and big ways.
ReplyDeleteSuzy, Enjoyment is a great word! It brings in gratitude and contentment and a lot of other words. Thanks for commenting.
Delete