Good to hear from you. You are very welcome here
: )

I’ve thought about what you said for 2 days. I’m trying to see the male version of “Oh, I could never be that” , the diminishing of self to stay safe.
Maybe it’s identical to the female, just better concealed because men are trained to hide emotion and fear. They build walls around themselves using bigger rocks, giving them the impression of being stronger, but they’re just better fortified.

Amy,

A beautiful quote. Once you happen upon an elusive truth, it just snaps into place in the puzzle. It is indeed our light and our power that frighten us.

I can’t do more about my own fears than I’m already doing. But it feels very easy to me to allow the light of others to shine in its fullest. Hopefully, the system will work backwards and free me of my hang-ups in turn.

True also that children, in their world of limitless possibility, shine. I wonder by what process or necessity that’s lost.

I searched Marianne Williamson. An interesting woman. I notice she has a book out about learning to celebrate midlife. Does anyone know it?

Christine,

I thought you might enjoy this quote. I saw it at the end of the movie “Ahkeelah and the Bee” and thought it was brilliant. It seems to connect to what you wrote on this topic.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

-Marianne Williamson

I really enjoy reading your blog. I’m also a thinking woman who loves makeup and wants good skin care – go Paula!