Freedom

I have this prayer on the back of my toilet door. Recently a friend commented on how challenging it is to go to my toilet. I have a few other challenges and affirmations there also. It's a good spot for me to read them, however, until my friend commented, I fear I was just reading them, not believing them. It is challenging to think 'I am a child of God' and I can 'shine' and play my part. I've been thinking about this all weekend.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves
"Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?"
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about
shrinking so that other people won't feel
insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory
that is within us.
It's not just some of us; it's in every one of us.
And as we let out own light sine,
we unconsciously give others
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

This quotation is commonly thought to come from Mr Mandela's 1994 inaugural speech as president of South Africa; however Mr Mandela did not use this quotation in any of the three public addresses at the time of his inauguration. Ms Marianne WIlliamson is the author and it can be found in her book 'A return to love: Reflections on the principles of a course in miracles'. (www.neslonmandela.org)