Shine. Bright and new; special and sparkly. Such a happy word; so much possibility.
When I published The Prompt last Sunday I was, as is usually the case, unsure what I would write about. As soon as I hit publish though the words shine like an arclight entered my head and the song has been on a loop ever since. Every time I have begun to mull over ideas for my post; they have been drowned out by Nick Kelly’s beautiful lyrics.
You just shine in the morning like the sun
Burn like a candle in the night
Shine like a book that’s never been read
Burn like a saint who knows he’s right
Shine like a shard of glass
On the forest ground
When you shine you know
You burn me down
Arclight Fat Lady Sings; music and lyrics Nick Kelly
Do we all want to shine? Is it inherent to wish for some sparkle, some glow to our lives? To find that thing that we excel at; to find that person who can bring the brightness of a smile to our faces; to see that glow in someone we love and to reflect it back to them.
I believe it is, and that we can all shine. Sometimes sharply, like sunlight on water. Sometimes subtly, like brushed platinum.
We just need to see it, and have people around us who can be our mirrors, who can encourage and support us; show us. Who can make us feel special and loved and shiny.
I have had my moments to shine; the great job, the awards, the promotions, the big presentations. I loved every minute of it. I am in my element in the spotlight, literally shining. But, while some of that was down to me, I have a lot of people to thank too.
So;
To family who guide and teach and encourage; who polish until we gleam. To friends who add that sparkle to those special moments. To colleagues who give opportunities, who trust, who have confidence. To mentors who inspire.
To my children who have added a whole new level of brightness to my internal sun.
To all those who have helped me to find my ways to shine; thank you.
My job now is to help my children to shine, to excel (in whatever way is their way); to feel special. There are few moments that can match seeing that internal glow of confidence and success begin to shine in someone’s face. As the glow of potential turns into the shine of pride.
Shine, a word full of possibility.
You can find this weeks #ThePrompt linky here. I do hope this topic inspired you; I look forward to reading your posts.
And, to anyone who has never heard Arclight, please go and listen to it!
Lovely post. So important to remember those who help us to shine and to help others shine in return. I agree – we all need to be able to shine, even if it’s just in a subtle way.
Another great post my lovely. I think as parents it’s up to each of us to ensure we give our children the tools to be able to shine. Instill confidence in them, integrity, kindness, manners… the list can go on forever. I’d like to hope all the hard work will pay off when I’m watching my little ones shine throughout the years xxx
This is a gorgeous post Sara – beautifully written and so positive. And to think (as you commented on my blog recently) you don’t consider yourself a writer! You are, you are! Shine on. xx
This is so lovely. I loved this prompt especially as it encouraged me to focus on the shining moments and also really think how I can be more positive to shine on my own. You are right, being able to see it is the most important part. And recognising how we influence each other too xx
That’s beautiful. We need to be able to shine – which, to me, means being yourself. We also need to be with those who help us shine – and help us be ourselves. x
Lovely. And what a great job–to help develop a child’s shine, to build their potential. :) x
Lovely post Sara – I totally agree that it takes help and support and encouragement to be the best you can be and shine and, as parents, we have a big responsibility to help our children find their way into whatever light is the right one for them. X
that really is a great post. I love the bit about people around us being like mirrors.
Fab post honey. I love how positive it is. I really struggled this weeks prompt as my writing kept coming out really negative so I decided to scrap it and I’ll try again next week. I love that line about a subtle glow like brushed platinum, I’ve never thought of it like that.
A beautiful post, thank you for the reminder to appreciate all we are blessed with:)
Lovely post hun. I really hope I give Baby the skills and confidence to shine. #PoCoLo x
Absolutely Sara! The possibilities of shining are infinite and what a truly amazing it is when we see the ‘fruition’ of our encouragement in something or someone. :)
Such a lovely post :) Shine on!
What a beautiful post. Shining is definitely something we should all do once in a while. Nothing feels better. It’s like being on top of the world. xx
Absolutely stunning beautiful post. You are an very lovely writer.
A wonderful touching post. As soon as I read the prompt on Sunday I was instantly inspired. Luckily I held onto that and wrote something a few days later. Shine – I love this word. :)
Yes, I think we all want to shine. And when we become parents the definition of that shine may change, and may be passed on to our kids but its still there. Without ambition or striving to achieve we can lose sight of whats important to us. I always tell my kids to hold on to their dreams, even if they sound crazy to others. What a beautiful post x x x
Gorgeous post and so important to acknowledge what makes you shine and I feel for me that’s changed so much since kids, they are my sunshine, thanks for this! Thanks for linking up to #brilliantblogposts x