Shine On

“There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” So go the powerful lyrics from Leonard Cohen’s, “Anthem.” His words are moving. The message, elegant and hopeful. The song helps give purpose to our brokenness and meaning to our pain and scars. However, I believe the opposite is also true – each of us contains bright light within and the cracks are where it pours out as if deep wounds are the greatest permission to shine. Because at this point what the hell do we have to lose?

Not only does our light flows from the cracks, everything gushes forth. Out pours our light and the thick darkness, the relentless tears and surprising laughter, our phobias and superhuman strength, the offbeat jokes and unfiltered words. Grief has a funny way of puncturing our armor and letting it all hang out. And, it’s not for lack of control. Simply put, we just can’t give a damn anymore to restrain the wild garden of emotions of behaviors. Not after what we’ve been through.

Not after seeing death. Not after facing mortality. Not after the demolition of the life we wanted. Not after crawling through the rubble while tears and snot poured from our faces for months, even years, as we kept digging through the debris until we re-found meaning, re-found love, re-found piece, by fractured piece, of our own selves and slowly reassembled a whole being again.

In other words, the cracks are where we emerge from ourselves. They are the fissures from where we shine. We’re surviving, my friends, and that deserves a roar, a beating of the chest, and endless permission to spread your light. Shine on, beautiful people. Shine on.

With love, Robynne

(Photo courtesy of Shine Fit)