Potential

"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 we 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 do not feel insecure around you. We were born to 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 light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others."
-Marianne Williamson
This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. It inspires me to not only see the potential that I have within myself, it also reminds me of the incredible potential within my children. I love the opening line that our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond measure. This speaks to my soul and somehow I know it is true. It reminds me that not striving to be better, not striving to do more or be more is wasting the incredible potential God gave each of us. As I raise my children on a daily basis I hope to inspire and foster this feeling within them - that they are Children of God and within them is the potential to achieve great things. That it is ok, no, that it is essential that they let their light shine and let themselves become their greatest self. So often I am overwhelmed with the thought that if I do too much or try too hard or try to be the best I can that somehow I might make someone else feel bad. This is simply not the case. I think of the people I know that truely let their light shine. And although sometimes I may feel somewhat inferior, the more powerful, more overwhelming feeling is a desire to try harder and be better as well. To emulate their light and to strive for the same greatness that I see in them. I think one of the greatest tools of evil in this world is to make us believe that this potential is not in us. To supress this potential serves evil and keeps us from moving our world, day by day, closer to a place of peace, happiness & love. Just imagine if everyone in the world truely believed in this potential within themselves - and strived to encourage this potential in everyone, instead of suppress it. What an incredible world we would live in.