If you have read any of my books, you might be familiar with the phrase
“Light does more when shared.”
This statement is more that just something I made up to fill space in my books. It is a teaching in my church that has resonated with me since I was a child.
When I was young, I learned the concept that people carry light within them. In my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we talk a lot about how when we strive to keep ourselves close to Jesus, He will fill us with His love. We will have his Holy Spirit to be with us. The amount of light that fills us depends on how closely we are trying to stay near him.
As we align our lives more closely with Him, through reading scriptures, prayer, service to others, and loving and forgiving others, His light will shine through in our personalities, and even the way we look. We will radiate the light and love of God in our very beings.
(If you want to learn more about this topic, check out this general conference address titled “The Light in their Eyes,” by Elder James E. Faust, a former apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)
So when I first started writing my novels, I wanted to play with this idea about the light we carry inside. The more we serve and strive to help others, the greater our light will be.
There is a flip side to this concept, though. When darkness sees and senses light, it can’t leave it alone because it reminds the dark creature that it wasn’t always made that way—that it, too, was once made of light.
“When someone has that much light and gives it up for darkness, they can’t leave it alone,” he said. “They hunt all that reminds them of who they once were and do everything they can to put it out. Bitterness and hate blind them to the truth of how far they’ve fallen.”
Tellen Ramforth ~ The Earthspark
However, the dark creatures can’t abide that reminder and therefore seek to destroy that light in any way they can. Hence, my main character, who is filled with great light, is also the most heavily attacked person in the series.
As the series progress, I learned more about light and dark. Light produces heat, while darkness is cold. I also thought a lot about how it takes only a single match to break darkness, because darkness is fragile and must ALWAYS bow to light. One person doing something good and kind for others to make a difference.
When we share our light—our gifts, talents, service, listening ear, money, time, etc.—it can do so much good in the world, even if it’s for only one person.
“A single person you might be, but you have more strength than you realize. You’ve mended an age-long hatred of Tellidus and the Earth Guardian in a few short days. A few hours ago, you bound up the broken heart of a mother who lost her son by becoming her daughter. You’ve also captured the Skyspark while still maintaining your connection to the earth. It only takes one snowball to start the avalanche.”
Malvina Ravencrest ~ The Raider’s Curse
So no matter who you are, regardless of your religious beliefs (if any), wherever you come from, and whatever your circumstances are, if you are kind, and striving to be a good person, I can guarantee that you have a measure of light within you.
Today I want to challenge you to share the light you have inside, the goodness, the hope and cheer, and share it with someone else. Break the darkness of someone else’s world and give them something to smile about.
Because “Light does so much more when shared.”
Merry Christmas my friend!
