This little light of mine...

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished. ~Michael Strassfeld

Back in the days before Ipods, Pandora music online, their interest in MTV and Sirius radio, my children thought the entertainer, Raffi, was Elvis Presley, Snoop Dogg and Pavarotti all rolled into one. We never left the house without a Raffi cassette tape in my dashboard, and a trip to the park or the grocery store usually included all of us singing "Joshua Giraffe", "The Wheels on the Bus", and that solid gold favorite, "Baby Beluga". If you have had children within the last 24 years, you know about Raffi. His live shows sold out faster in every area than U2 concerts. Now that my children are older teens, they only have vague and hazy memories of this chapter in their lives. They don't remember making the whole family sit in the living room, so that they could put on a Raffi cover band "concert"; my son strumming a Ukulele, pretending it was a guitar, and my daughter holding up a hairbrush microphone. They took these matinees very seriously and expected all of us to sing along with them. Although they were only about 2 and 4 at the time, they would set the stage, have 'shout out' moments in which the audience would have to sing parts and would expect rapt attention. I look back on these precious preschool days with a mother's heart and a mother's memory. But, I also realize what a tremendous lesson these experiences were for them. My children learned how to 'shine' in a safe, joyful and loving environment.

The one song that I remember beyond all of the others wasn't a Raffi original, but was his take on an old gospel song. "This little light of mine" is one I find myself humming constantly. It was written by Harry Dixon Loes in 1920. It first became popular during the Christian tent revival movement during that time. Later, "This little light of mine" became a resounding anthem for the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's. It's had political histories from many different groups. It's been recorded by current artists, such as Bruce Springsteen and Joss Stone, as well as in numerous movie scores. It's a catchy, upbeat and uplifting little hymn, that's just as appealing to liberal leaning folks as it is to conservatives. The universal message of allowing our inner light, God's light, to shine within us is a powerful image.

The inspiring second verse of the hymn uses the words "Don't let anyone blow it out, I'm going to let it shine...." takes the lesson even further. In addition to allowing our inner gifts, our beauty, our strength and our courage to emanate from within, we are also implored to remain powerful in the presence of opposition. I've learned a great deal from this second part of the song. Why? For too long, I allowed outside influences to effect my happiness, my self-confidence, my beliefs and my abilities. I acquiesced to the leanings of other people. It's a wonderful thing to be able to learn from others, to share information and to be partners. It's quite another to allow them to steam-roll over you to change your opinion into theirs. No one should have the authority, or ability, to snuff out the light that shines in another person's heart. No one should be so demoralized that their feelings, their gifts and their very essence should be demeaned and vanquished. We should all be safe enough in our lives to shine in the way we were meant to.

What area of your own life could use a light to shine upon it? Could it be your relationships....do you need to see, with true awareness what is, and isn't, working in them? Is it, possibly, your ability to contribute valuable ideas? Far too many organizations and workplaces stifle creative, lateral thinking...but do you have an idea you can share to make work more successful, happy and streamlined? What about your faith traditions....are the ones you grew up with working for you, or do you need to seek out a path that speaks to your heart? What will it take, in every area of your life's journey, to kindle the flame of light within you? How can you fan the flames of love, confidence, success, passion, joyfulness and determination? Conversely, how can you keep that light burning, when others try to 'blow it out'?

When you need to, hum "This little light of mine". Don't worry about what the people around think. Sing away. Dance. Dream. Be in the light. Keep the light going. And, pass it on.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

All Through the Night

Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee, All through the night. Guardian angels, God will send thee, All through the night. Soft the drowsy hours are creeping; Hill and dale in slumber sleeping. I my loving vigil keeping, All through the night. The English Hymnal #268

The the song above is such a common lullaby that many people forget that it is a hymn, appearing in more than 16 different denominational hymnals. Peter, Paul & Mary recorded a version, as did Cyndy Lauper, Charlotte Church, Josh Groban, Cole Porter and countless other musicians. The Irish church claims it as an Irish song. The Welsh have attributed it to traditional Welsh folk tunes, and it's been recorded, many times, sung in Welsh. The oldest printed lyrics I could find include "All Through the Night" in an English hymnal. Regardless of this song's origins, it has a beautiful, haunting, magical melody and reassuring lyrics. I used to sing it (not nearly as beautifully as the professionals) to my children when they were babies. I still hum it to myself when I need a few moments to clear my head at the end of a very busy day. I'm certain that passing strangers have thought me a madwoman humming it softly, when I'm on an airplane. But, it's comforting, it's peaceful and it's familiar. It takes me back to days of having a newborn curled up into my side, and to simpler moments in the journey of parenthood.

In an age in which sleep disorders are at an all time high, is it any wonder that I'm attracted to a lullaby? In any coffee shop, at any meeting or at any parents' group gathering, the most common topic is how exhausted everyone is. It appears that no one I know sleeps well, myself included. Sleep disorder clinics are on the rise, and many have waiting lists. Prescriptions for sleep aid drugs, such as Ambien, are 5 times what they were just ten years ago. The Center for Disease Control, as well as numerous Health Service agencies, recommend that adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. The AMA set forth these reasons why adults need an average of 8 hours of sleep per night: good sleep may reduce your risk of depression, of diseases, of maintaining a healthy weight (and blood pressure), of bolstering memory, of increased synaptic activity during the day, may help prevent cancer and may assist in your body's repairing of injuries. These are perfectly understandable and straight forward benefits...And yet, if we can't fall asleep, or remain sleeping 'all through the night', how can we reap the benefits of good sleep habits?

For many of us, there is an inability to shut off our brains when it's night time. The majority of us walk around overstimulated most of the day. We have to-do lists that exceed our ability, we are bombarded by media (from radio to television to the Internet) all day long and we feel constantly behind if we aren't being 'productive' at every waking moment. We have worries that range from small issues (such as a child's nasty teacher) to larger ones (such as the current financial crisis). We are deeply concerned about politics, the environment, war, famine, disease, plane crashes and a plethora of other globally impacting issues that are beyond our control. Is it any wonder that our bodies are exhausted but our minds are still reeling from the ramifications of the day's events....either to our own lives, or to the world at large? As a result, we drink an awful lot of coffee to perk us in the morning, only to find we need that caffeine the rest of the day. The caffeine in our systems is another reason we may have a difficult time 'switching off' at night. Just as there are health benefits to 'good sleeping', there are negative ones to lack of sleep: inability to focus and concentrate, loss of memory ability, loss of job performance, poor health and increased risks for nearly every health complication. If worrying about aspects of our lives is enough to keep us awake, it's amazing how many of us lie in bed at night, worried about our not being able to fall asleep!

There are many schools of thought on achieving a good night's sleep that lasts "all through the night". Some doctors do recommend drugs, used in the short term, to help 'jump start' one's body into sleeping well. My own experience, while I was a cancer patient, was so negative with these drugs, that I have a hard time understanding the benefits. I found an increase in the ability to fall asleep, but was beset by nightmares. Therefore, I have a difficult time recommending them to others. There are also homeopathic versions of sleep aids that some people have found to be incredibly helpful. I found them to be less harsh on my overactive psyche, but they were also less effective in helping me fall asleep. This journey led me to find other methods in sleep enhancement.

Ruling out all chemical and/or locational disruptive sources is the first rule of thumb. I've discovered that not having any caffeine (including chocolate) after lunch can make a huge difference. I've also learned which foods simply do not allow me to rest easily. As much as I crave spicy food all day, when my eyes are wide awake, staring at the dog snoring at 2 AM, I realize that the Kung Pao Chicken was not my best choice for a late snack. Another culprit can be all the lights we all have on in our rooms. My bedroom is equal parts sleeping space, office and family room. Therefore, we have a great deal of electronic equipment in our room. From the TV to the DVD player to the computer (and all its components) to the Wii and multiple phones, our room is a veritable fortress of technology. All of these gizmo's emit wave frequencies that can actually be stimulating. I make certain, at this point, to have everything as turned off as possible, since it's simply not within my space limitations to remove it all from my room (though that's what's recommended by most sleep specialists). Establishing a routine can also be helpful: a cup of a herbal tea, a book, the same music each evening and a warm bath, can all set the mood for a good night's sleep...particularly when done every night.


Finally, one of the ways I have learned to turn off my hamster wheel, chihuahua yapping brain is to count my blessings. Unlike the old method of counting sheep (which I've done to infinity without effect), counting our blessings, no matter how slight or small, can be a way to counteract the effects of an anxious mind. By reminding ourselves of all the good things in our lives, of the good fortune in our days, of the way we were able to aid others and of the largesse that came our way, we can remember why we have earned our rest. I don't just express my gratitude for a financial or professional boon. I just try to express my thankfulness at being alive and well for one more day. I am grateful that I did not have a car accident and that my children are remaning safe in their travels. I'm able to be happy that the sun did shine, or that a beautiful snow fell. I'm appreciative to have eyes that can see, ears that can hear and hands that can be put to good use. No matter how irrational my fears, I can content myself with the knowledge that, at this very moment, I am safe, I am well and I am protected. I find that, as I can express in my heart, each of the blessings that have come my way, my eyelids begin to droop...and I gently begin to fall asleep. The main idea is just let the blessings come to my mind; rather than creating yet another 'list' to be mentally gone over.

I wish each of you a good night's sleep tonight. May you feel loved, may you feel peaceful and most of all, may you feel sleepy.