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Our world…it seems to tremble more every day under the oppressive shadow of fear. The cracks along the dry, dusty earth once so easily avoided have grown to caverns now calling to us- beckoning- to look down. Down…where only darkness resides.
So I attempt to balance- keeping feet planted in the Light, while understanding the chill rising up from the abyss, creeps in close, nipping at heels, and I must stay vigilant. If I steal but a glance downward, it’s nearly impossible to look away and suddenly I’m falling too- plummeting from lofty places above the fray and mind fixed on the lovely, the pure and honorable. My eyes desperate in the free fall to find something, anything, to regain focus on things above. Fear working quickly to overtake me, the Light alive within moves to action.
Love casts off fear- where perfect love lives, fear cannot find breath.
I inhale deep a gasp of Light- hold the breath in, steady my mind, then release. And there it is- the remedy, the anti-virus to our decaying world begging us to join its crumble into black; it’s as simple as breathing. Inhaling fear, I can only give out the same. Beholding darkness opens my lungs to death and before long I am taking others down with me…a whole beautiful, vibrant world, succumbing to a disease of second hand fear.
Or I can choose to breathe You in, God of Love…for You are here all around me. In the wonder of sun against water and sky, in the glory of children exploring the playground you crafted for them of rocks and trees and fireflies. I will fill my lungs full until they burn with your beauty and then breath out your goodness to those within reach. Like a child picking honeysuckle to share with her friends, I will gather Glory up in fistfuls and we will drink in the sweetness of Light’s nectar. Love’s epidemic more potent than fear could ever wish to be. And breath by breath we walk the narrowing path Home, helping each other stay eyes steady upon Love, our backs hard against the pull of darkness.
