There is a light that shines within us all. No one will ever see this light; no one will ever know its true color, warmth, or even be sure of its existence but nonetheless, this light is here. You’re going to have to take my word for it.
Now, forget this light. Turn it off, if you will… The room, the world are both dark.
May I ask you, from this darkness, to construct the world in your mind. Start with all the elements of nature with complexity down to the subatomic level. Add billions of people, each with a uniquely individual past, thought process and identity that are often intensely difficult, even impossible to fully understand. Add the buildings and the infrastructure of our world. Add the intricate systems—natural and man-made. Government, faith, communities, schools, weather, etc. Add noise: a collective buzz of voices in thousands of languages, indistinguishable and overwhelming without trained focus of the ear. Add motion. To everything.
This collective motion is uncontrolled, erratic and confusing.
Feeling overwhelmed yet? No?
If not, add about one billion times of complexity to this imagination exercise. If it helps, consider the 11 possible dimensions (some models define 32 dimensions!) and alternate realities that may exist across unthinkably vast expanses of time.
Ask yourself: Where do you fit in to this?
If you answered without hesitation, congratulations. I simultaneously doubt and hope that your answer will remain constant, as your perception of the world around you is continuously altered by the experiences you have.
I hope at this point, you are somewhat lost, perhaps overwhelmed. Just imagine that whole complex mess of earthly existence, and you. Your meaning and place in this “mess” are only as significant as you make them to be; however, you are insignificant in comparison to the infinite expanse of time, matter and possibility that make our universe.
Where will your journey through this mess lead you, and why?
Come back to your personal light from the first paragraph. Embrace this light inside of you. Curl up with it. Find comfort and satisfaction with this beacon of goodness. Just be grateful to be a part of this beautiful universe. Now Stop!
Your light will not last long. You do not have time to waste.
And remember that no one, including you, can see or feel your light. You were just embracing something intangible, almost invisible.
Your light only becomes apparent to others through the actions you take that make order of the messy existence that you imagined moments before. Your light begins to shine when you ignite it by existing for others. It is set aflame by your creative passions. Don’t embrace and cover your light, ignite it.
Now see these lights come out of the mess, illuminating a path to goodness, future, progress, caring and love.
Charity Ball is a real-world example of a relatively small collection of these lights. Young people, alive with purpose, lights ignited, who are existing for others through their creative passions and desires to create positive change.
Find your light and use it to the best of your ability. Find this light and make others aware of it. Don’t search for it, find it by igniting it in your actions that will become a valuable part of the mess of existence. And most of all, don’t forget to respect the light of everyone you encounter. Know that every person works hard to get their light to shine, appreciate that in every human being and your light may be appreciated too.
I hope you come to Marbles tomorrow to feel our lights flicker for a great cause. And be ready for the immense vibrance of light that will come from the young people of this world.
Benjamin Hogewood
Enloe Charity Ball Outreach Team