Awake my Soul - Enhance my Gift
“In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die Where you invest your love, you invest your life” – Awake my Soul, Mumford and Sons
It has been said that, “with great power, comes great responsibility”. Some will accredit this quote to Voltaire but if they took the time to research it, they’d realize it had other origins. Nerds like me, know without question, that it is actually from Spiderman. Either way, it’s been said many times, in many different ways; beginning as early as biblical times. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”, Luke 12:48 – NIV. Meaning, of course that, the more you are given, the more will be expected of you; or, “with great power, comes great responsibility”. In the same way, with great talent or God-given gifts, comes great responsibility.
The responsibility to share their gifts with others; to effect change and spread light to others. Not, to waste their gifts pontificating about meaningless nonsense, just for the purpose of selfish, self-serving amusement. Not for self-indulgence, and not all for personal gain. Everyone has a unique gift. A gift that they are given to share with the world; to spread love. A gift with which, to do good things for the world and for others in it.
If you have a gift, and can do good things, I feel like, you have a moral responsibility to share those gifts and to do good with them. This is how I feel about writing; mine and others who’ve been given the gift of words. It is our responsibility to use this gift wisely, and rightly. Whether, for the purpose of making people laugh (like I’m hoping I did, with the Spiderman quote), of entertaining them, or, of educating or enlightening them. Not for the purpose of spreading misinformation, hatred or of self-congratulation. Writing, singing, playing music, dancing, painting, acting, designing; the gift, itself matters less than what you do with it. If you have such a gift to share, you should be sharing it to do good; to spread love and to help others. Even if the person you are helping at first, is you.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write; since I was a little girl. Sometimes, I would write every single day; especially when I was going through difficulties, or when I was filled with joy. I was given the gift of words, but was afraid to share this gift out of fear of rejections. What I didn’t realize, at the time was that, if you are using your gift to spread love and light, no one will reject you or your gift. Because you are giving others the gift of the same; love and light, that they are otherwise missing in their lives. Since this realization, I’ve started this blog, and have started publishing my work in other areas, as well; as a way of sharing my journey with others. I don’t make any money doing this; on the contrary, it’s actually costing me money to have the blog, to share my stories on Vocal media and to start my podcast (coming soon). But it’s worth it to have a way of reaching out to others. A way of letting others know they are not alone in their struggles, and as a way of spreading love and light with the world around me; in addition to the catharsis I achieve by sharing, in the first place.
Since, I’ve started my blog, I’ve also become a follower and reader of a few other blogs, myself. Some are, as suggested earlier, humorous and entertaining; providing much needed comic relief on some of my darker days, and throughout my darker hours. Some, are full of inspirational narratives; offering their existential philosophies on life, love and relationships. Some offering ideas on how to overcome obstacles and others, simply sharing their stories and allowing the reader a glimpse into their journeys. All, reaching a hand out to others, through their writing. All, seemingly in attempt to spread love and light with the world around them, as well. Using their pens and keyboards to spread love, through showing others that they are not alone, in their suffering. On the darker side of the spectrum, I have also come across some rather self-serving blogs. Those who do spread hate, misinformation and pontificate and self-congratulate. Much like other forms of, "entertainment", these are wasted gifts.
I choose to use my gift simply and selflessly; for the sake of reaching out to others instead of using it selfishly. Not everyone chooses the same paths; some waste their gifts. Some waste their opportunity to reach out and help others; to spread light. That’s their decision; it’s their right to use their gift however they choose to do so. I’m not judging anyone for using their gifts contrary to how I use mine. However, I do feel like that when you use your gifts for good, you’re given more; gifts, blessings, light returned to you. I feel like, with every piece I write that spreads light or reaches someone struggling in the same way I have, the more awake my soul becomes. The more awake I am, the more, light I can spread. The more, light I spread, the more is returned to me.
I have the gift of words. That doesn’t mean I have to use this gift selfishly. I have a lot of words in my head (thanks to my mother, who forced me to spend hours, studying the dictionary) but it doesn't mean I have to use all of them, at once. I choose to simplify things, in order to reach more people. In other words, instead of pompously pontificating whilst perilously pleasure-seeking, and seeking a means of personal profit; I choose to use this gift for the purpose of performing philanthropic deeds for other people. I choose to free my soul, and to speak from it. In order to do so, I have to awake my soul; to write from a place of awakening. Where I have learned to write from my heart, instead of my head.
And in doing so, I have received many gifts, in return. One being; having had many of my readers reach out to me, and share what my sharing my gift has inspired in them. Another being, having inspired others to use their gifts, as well; and inspired their gift, itself. Much like others' gifts have inspired me so often - as you can see from the quotes and music I use in my posts. The most important, having had my gift enhanced, for the purpose of reaching others; for the purpose of serving others better, through the use of my gift.