Owning and voicing our gifts

I’d been reading this sweet little book by Julia Cameron, Blessings, each night before going to bed much of last year but stopped half-way through a while back. Not sure why, just stopped the habit. Last night I picked it up again from the table near my bedside where’s its been for these past months and opened it to the chapter (each “chapter” is like a journal note on a topic, just a page or two of spiritual insight and uplift) where I’d left off, and was amazed. Here’s what Ms. Cameron had to share on the topic “I voice the universe in an original way” (page 92):

I bring to life a unique and powerful voice. My insights and perceptions are important blessings. Voicing my insights and perceptions is important to the world. I am an irreplaceable individual whose gifts benefit all. Owning my gifts, inhabiting them, and expanding them are my gifts to the world and those with whom I share it. As I become larger, more colorful, and more truly myself, I create for others the realization that it is safe for them to become larger, more vibrant, more fully alive. Moving upward and outward in a spirit of creative community, I am non-competitive and truly collaborative, growing larger myself while helping others to achieve their true size as well. The cosmic web is alive with greater and greater consciousness, larger and brighter possibility. As I extend my hand in my immediate world, I alter and enlarge the benevolence of the world as a whole. My every action is sweet and significant. Knowing this, I consciously and creatively act for the highest good. My unique voice and consciousness bless all.

The ideas in this passage from Blessings reminded me immediately of something from Mary Baker Eddy’s booklet Pulpit and Press (p. 43) which I hadn’t thought of for a while:

"What if the little rain should say,
'So small a drop as I
Can ne'er refresh a drooping earth,
I'll tarry in the sky.'"

Is not a man metaphysically and mathematically number one, a unit, and therefore whole number, governed and protected by his divine Principle, God? You have simply to preserve a scientific, positive sense of unity with your divine source, and daily demonstrate this. Then you will find that one is as important a factor as duodecillions in being and doing right, and thus demonstrating deific Principle. A dewdrop reflects the sun. Each of Christ's little ones reflects the infinite One, and therefore is the seer's declaration true, that "one on God's side is a majority."

Wow! I needed this idea. Thought it might help others, so wanted to be sure to share it here. Such a good reminder to ask myself, “Am I using the ideas, gifts, talents, etc. God has given me, especially in the way He would like me to use them? Or am I holding back and thus perhaps not helping another feel the fullness of their expression too?” Oh, so likely that I do, certainly have many times over held back from sharing or following through on an idea for fear – fear for being wrong, sounding dumb, off-base, weird. But, if these ideas, inspirations, etc. that I've gotten are from God, there is not, cannot be anything dumb about them, nothing about each one of them and how I would express it that is not on-target. Okay, maybe they might seem weird, at least to others, but what's really wrong with that? Just being fully unique!

I especially appreciate Ms. Cameron’s reminder that, by expressing our true selves more fully, we help others express themselves more vibrantly, joyously, wholly. That’s generosity at work, too. Changes one’s motives about why we share and express our God-given talents and being, doesn’t it? Not for our own display, but to fully express and therefore give praise to God, and to help lift up our neighbor. Hmmm, doesn’t that sound like the two Great Commandments? (Mark 12: 28-34)

I am so grateful for this reminder and will endeavor to watch more that I don’t hold back, don’t do less than express myself and talents as God knows me, and hope and know that this fuller expression of me will help others along as well. Great tie-in to this week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson, too, if you are checking that out.

So own your voice and share it! Be that little rain drop that drops from the clouds and bless the world! I'll be trying to do so more. Hmmm, that sounds like more incentive to share in this blog-way. :)