The heat of the July afternoon had finally passed as I took my dogs out for their last walk of the day. The cooler air of the Summer evening felt so refreshing on my face. I breathed it in deep and gazed up at the magnificent full moon sitting alone, smiling down on me from the still blue sky. It was a moment of pure peace that was only made more perfect when I saw my old friends the fireflies in my backyard, doing their dance of love and light. There were hundreds of them. As one flew near, my beagle thought it would be a good snack and snapped at it. I quickly pulled back on her lease and the firefly escaped. The missed meal then flew up to my face, blinked a "thank you" and glided off. I watched it rejoin its friends with a smile and as they lit up the evening I pledged once again to do my best to share my own light in this world.

It hasn't always been easy living up to that pledge. On many days I have felt like the "Splendid Torch" that George Bernard Shaw spoke of, burning bright with the light of love. Yet, at other times I have felt more like a little candle struggling to give out any light at all. After many years, though, I finally realized that even the smallest candle can make a sunny day brighter and even the tiniest firefly can light up the night.

As I bid my lightening bug buddies goodnight and went back into my house I remembered that God doesn't ask any of us to light up the whole world. He just asks us to light up our own little corner of it. We all can spread joy and share love here. We all can give the light within us to the world around us. We all can add our little glow to the radiance of Heaven.

Take good care of your light then. Nurture it. Grow it. Fan its flames. Share it with others. Join it with the light of Heaven and the love of God. Use it to brighten the sunny days and illuminate the darkest nights. And always remember that your loving light is who you really are.