Dear Reader:

How many times have we heard slogans… like “We Are Part of the Solution” or ” Be a Part of the Solution.” It usually refers to an environmental or peace issue or an inequity along racial, gender, political, or societal lines. The slogan encourages action on the part of everyday citizens to take a stand for our planet and people

Recently ( in an earlier post) we talked about daily moral dilemmas we face throughout our life path.. and the moral compass that keeps us conscious of ” hidden detours” that we find ourselves on… when we lose our way making the wrong moral choice. Our moral compass- is the divine spark given each of us as children of God.

Mr. ( Fred) ROGERS once observed: ” Deep within each of us is a spark of the divine just waiting to be used to light up a dark space. ” ( Didn’t Mr. Rogers light up so many children’s lives with his soft soothing voice …reassuring all children that they were special and worthy of love! What a gift… what a solution!

Several years ago a friend gave me a copy of the children’s book ” Light” by Jane Breslin Zalben. Such a beautiful story inspired by Rabbi Isaac Lydia in a 16th century ” midrash” -( A legend based on Biblical text)

The legend starts out with the Creation Story… darkness, blank canvas, form, light-sun, moon, stars, rivers, oceans, land, valleys, mountains, plants, trees, and fruit. Then animals of all shapes in the water, land and air.

Here the legend adds a twist… the Creator wants to paint everything with a special light so only goodness shines-it is stored in a gigantic jar. However this light is so powerful that when the Creator opens it-it cracks/ shatters throwing sparks of light outward.

There were too many pieces for the Creator to find alone-then an idea! People were made/ created to find the shards of light, bringing them together again in order to make the world whole and perfect!

People found the sparks of divine light in blades of grass -on tips of sea waves and kale and on insect wings , in animals’ loving eyes and even in each other.

Finding the divine light brought joy, peace, happiness… and when they shared it among each other… there was no hate, fear, hunger or destruction.

Today we are still searching …so the world is still not whole and complete but as long as we keep trying and looking for the light and don’t give up hope… then one day our world will be as one! Whole in God’s eyes!

So until tomorrow… We must always remember …if we can find and use our own divine spark to light another’s inner light.. then as Mr ROGERS predicted …we can fill up all the dark spaces!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh