Niagara Falls Illumination
Shining Our Light for Others Creates Purpose in Our Lives!
Most of us have heard the expression that, we need to shine our light to the world, but what does that mean exactly?
I had an interesting – illuminating experience lately that demonstrated to me what this expression means and how beautiful of a blessing it can be for the person, situation or the entire world – on which we are shining our light, but also what gets reflected back to us in doing so.
During the holidays of this year, I was asked to go to Niagara Falls for New Year’s Eve to witness the grand illumination of the falls which I have heard about many times, but have never seen in person. It isn’t an invitation a person turns down lightly!
However, sometimes as a person who is living single, turning down things is easier than showing up “single”.
However, if we actually knew ahead of time the experiences we might have and possible people we might meet IF we DID say YES to attending an event, even on our own, we’d probably be more inclined to never stay home!
I have learned – LEARNED – was not born with – the value in sucking the marrow out of life and go in the direction of our dreams (Henry David Thoreau), no matter what. At times, this belief has led me to travel and meet extraordinary people and see marvelous things. At other times, I’ve let fear get in the way.
This particular instance, being invited to see Niagara Falls on New Year’s Eve, my reluctance to go by myself won out and I declined the offer. However, I instantly felt the disappointment of it and as the season progressed, I repeated to myself that perhaps I should have gone; that I should have walked through that door when it opened.
However, I didn’t know at the time that my close friends were not only moving to Niagara Falls, but that I would receive another invitation shortly after the holidays that would forever illuminate my life!
My friends, a lovely couple that I’ve known for over five years now, were eagerly awaiting my visit to see their new place and have dinner with them, but because of circumstances in my life, I hadn’t had the time to go – nor did I really want to do the drive alone, to be honest.
However, after they asked me several times, I decided that it was time to simply make the commitment and go. It was a Saturday evening that I planned to drive there and early in the afternoon, just before I was about to leave, I got a phone call that someone close to me had passed away suddenly. I was very sad, upset and of course, began to think that I should just stay home and tell my friends that it was too much to come and visit.
However, I suddenly remembered that another friend of mine had told me that she had never seen Niagara Falls in the winter time, and I decided to invite her along for the company. She said she’d love to come and was very excited about seeing the falls. I told her, however that my friends didn’t live right in the area and we’d probably just be seeing the waterfalls from a distance.
When we arrived for dinner, we shared a lovely meal with my friends and after dinner, my friend Jay, said, “Let’s get you girls in the car. I want to show you something.” I couldn’t imagine what, but we obliged him, got our coats on and piled in the car.
As he began to drive towards the falls, I assumed he was just going to drive by them so we could see them. When he pulled in and up around an old circular stone building and parked, I had no idea what we were doing. He got out and said, “Follow me girls!” We followed him to an old steel door and he knocked on it, holding a cup of coffee for someone I assumed was inside. When we entered, Jay introduced us to an older gentleman who worked in the dilapidated old building. “Girls, ” Jay said, “how would you like to not only see the lights of Niagara Falls, but actually be able to change the colour of them?”
He led us out another steel door on the other side and instantly, we heard the roar of the falls just metres away. The first thing I saw were huge, beaming lights – of purple, red, blue and yellow casting their beautiful beams over the parkway towards the illuminated falls.
We entered a tiny galley like room and were shown these contraptions that looked liked computers from the 1980’s era. There on the screen were buttons, the same colours as the beaming lights and we could choose whatever ones we liked, and then step out into the cold night air and watch as the roaring waterfalls, changed their colour to what we chose for them, right before our eyes. I cannot express my excitement at that moment – it was like we were two little girls given a puppy at Christmas. Our childhood enthusiasm exuded from us as we played with these mammoth, colourful lights.
As I watched not only the Canadian, but also the American waterfalls change the colours that I chose from a remote computer, I realized some invaluable lessons.
Firstly, I had put aside my fear of heading out as a “single” person and trusted that the experience of spending time with friends can be just as satisfying (or more) than being coupled up.
Secondly, I learned how important it is to shine our lights out to the world, because we each have our own unique colours to shine for people and when we do this, it also becomes an illuminating experience for us as well.
Thirdly, as I watched the remote stage lights send forth their light; the beams were very visible in the mist of the falls and I became aware that they are made of millions of light particles and lit up the entire night sky as well. Isn’t this like our light, when we shine it out to the world? It isn’t simply the person we are shining it on, but people around us that also can see and feel it’s brilliance?
Fourthly; many times in my life I have hid my “light under a bushel” because I was afraid that I was too much for people. As the youngest of seven, you get told this a lot as your older siblings do not want to hang out and play ‘Barbies’ with you, despite how exciting you think it might be! I was also told this by teachers because I asked too many questions; friends, because I thought differently than most kids; and in relationships because they thought my hair was “too big, I wore too much make-up, I was too smart, too pretty, too “out there” or “too” something!
Cyndi Lauper’s song, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” speaks of how some people – including ourselves – want to “hide {us} away from the rest of the world.”
The truth is, I wanna be the one to walk in the sun!
I believe that while the world – and social media – constantly tells us we would be happier coupled up, we potentially miss out on fantastic experiences and the chance to shine our light and have our life illuminated.
So how do we do this – shining our light thing?
♥ TAKE OUT: Realize that with over 117 million singles in this world, you are NOT alone and it’s not necessarily being in a relationship that people need, but rather, to simply be acknowledged by their fellow human beings.
So…Smile at someone. Say good morning to people. Hold the door for someone. When you ask someone how they are, stick around for their answer. Talk to a cashier about their day. Introduce yourself to someone new at work. Say someone’s name when you talk to them.
Just go shine your light! Don’t dim yourself down for anyone and don’t hesitate just because you’re on your own!
“One does not extinguish their flame by lighting another person’s candle.”
Cyndi Lauper: Go Walk in the Sun and Have Fun!
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