I am thinking over my earlier post and my conversation last night with a beautiful friend and also conversations I have had lately with my daughter. And I have a word. Sparkle. And another word. Shine. And another. Glow. Lately since I have been creating spaces in my life I have felt those words surrounding me. It’s when I am out walking and I am looking at the mountain and the open sky and I am singing to myself. It’s in George Jones’ voice right now that is playing on the stereo that reminds me of my father and the best parts of my childhood. It’s in the thought of vegetarian lasagna tonight for dinner with a friend and the smell of the chocolate cake I made for his birthday. My friend said she’s afraid of being public with her extreme optimism. Her beautiful, lovely, necessary view that good things really do happen in the world. My daughter says she doesn’t like sharing herself with new people. That she is afraid she will say something wrong and look stupid. Why are we afraid to sparkle? Why do we think we need to keep other people from seeing us shine? Why do we hold back our hearts from that glow that wants to erupt every time we encounter something wonderful? I know people might think I’m talking to myself in a strange way when they pass by me as I am out on my walk and singing out loud. But I enjoy my time to walk and sing my favorite songs too much to stop because of what people in their cars or houses that see me through their windows might think. I am learning to value the sparkle and the shine and the glow so much more than the part of me that says to hold myself back because people might be watching and might have something negative to say. Writing this blog has helped me even further with that. Sometimes it’s okay to put your shiniest, most honest, most glorious self in a place where the world can see. Sometimes it’s more important to speak what’s true in your heart than to plan ahead for what the others around you might say or think to shut you down.  Who are those others anyway? I have listened to them for years and I have rarely ever actually heard them say anything. Certainly not anything that ever turned out to be true. So go ahead. Sparkle. Go ahead. Shine. Go ahead. Glow. Go ahead, live your fullest life possible by listening to that quiet place of joy inside your heart. The rest of us will thank you.