Thoughts for a Sunday: Project of Light.

I look forward to the A to Z Challenge each April as an incentive to do a bit of writing that I wouldn't normally take the time to do.  As a blogger, I don't normally post daily.   Part of the reason is finding the time each day to share my thoughts and experiences.  Part of the reason is a bit of reluctance in sharing what I think about.  I consider myself to be very blessed.  Our family is not wealthy, but we generally have what we need.  That does not mean that we don't face challenges.  Everyone does.  The world is not always a pretty and gentle place.  Life is filled with both good and evil, beauty and ugliness, joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain.  When I consider all of the things that are wrong, unfair, and even evil, sometimes it is just too much. Especially in this day of instant and constant news and media, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the pain and sorrow and evil.  Some days it is difficult to find anything good and lovely to think about or to write about.

 I don't want to always be thinking and writing about terrible dark things. In fact I first began this blog as an effort to look for the good things in life each day, and record them so I won't forget the good.  Obviously I haven't been doing that very well.    Some years as a type of New Year's resolution I have chosen a theme of sorts for my year.  In 2017 I chose Peace as my theme, and doubled my efforts to find ways to bring peace into my life.  I didn't take the time to choose a theme this past holiday season, but as 2018 has progressed, I see that I really do have a theme--and that theme is Light.

 Back in October 2017 I wrote a  blog post about my Project of  Light, and how I can add a bit of light each day to a dark and troubled world.  I don't have the power to erase all of the pain and the cares of those that I see struggling or in sorrow.  I am just one person, but I think I can make a bit of a difference, once act at a time.  I can do my best each day to make the world a little better, to add more goodness and light, and to erase some of the darkness in the lives of others.   A smile, a kind word, a visit, a card, a letter, a phone call, a plate of cookies, a sincere thank you, a prayer, an anonymous gift or donation.  There are many ways to lift and help others and share light in this world.

I'm not a hermit.  I work at a college and interact with students, co-workers, family members, neighbors, strangers and friends every single day.  I can search for the good things in my life and be grateful.  I can have faith, hope, and charity and love for others.

Will you join me in my project of light?  I'm sure this is something that many of you already do.  Will you find a way each day to help someone else, to make this world a better, brighter place?  Will you look each day for the light in your own life and your own blessings, and express your gratitude?

Thank you!