Signs of Life

More and more as I drive around town I see people on street corners holding up signs exclaiming an amazing sale I shouldn’t miss. Some days it seems these people are everywhere. Each time I see one of these sign holders I think, “That is life.” That’s why I look, because that person is a living human being and I can see their light that is life. But then that’s my choice. I think most people see these sales people and think less of them for having a job that makes them stand on a street corner instead of working in a plush office.

I will never stop wanting to gaze at the miracle that life is. In a world where so much importance is put on things, these people remind me that first, we are all people. We all need to eat, sleep, we need love, hope, we all dream of a better life for ourselves and our families. How can we ignore that in each other? How could we put things above the light of a human spirit standing before us?

I often say to myself, “I want to shine.” I want to shine in my job, in my writing, in playing tennis - I want my light to shine in this world. And when I see the light shining in myself, I see it shine brighter in others. The light that is within us is in all of us all of the time, but it is up to us to become conscious of that light and consciousness is a choice. How easy is it for all of us to judge someone on what they have? Using things to raise ourselves above others is all about the ego and its need for recognition. But the ego is only looking out for the ego. Awareness and consciousness rely on our higher intelligence and our ability to derive meaning. In turn, it feeds our spirit and with that our ability to be compassionate.

The word, “Namaste,” which is a common greeting in South Asia can be translated into "The light within me honors the light within you." When was the last time you saw the light of someone? When was the last time you saw the light in yourself?

As the days grow shorter and we move into the holidays, the darkness calls on us to look at the light inside ourselves to share it with those we love and care about. We can make a conscious choice to see the light of life in others, by simply recognizing that their light that shines in this world. All of us are miracles. All of our lives matter. The signs of life are all around you, if you choose to see them.