Column 34 – Open Up the Drapes by The FlyLady, Marla Cilley

Did you ever wake up to a dreary rainy day? The overcast skies coated your world with doom and gloom. We have the ability to let the sunshine in our lives; we just have to open the drapes! It is just that easy! Imagine that the rain has started for real. There is thunder and lightning, the wind is blowing and you are just wishing for a sunshiny day. What could you do to counteract the effects of the storm?

The first thing I would do is open up the drapes to see the power of the lightning. Storms get me in “batten down the hatches” mode to protect my family. I get “to work”. If I can’t have the sun shining in my windows then I do the next best thing. I turn on every light in the house! Then I put on some happy music! I refuse to fall victim to the storms of life.

All week I have been listening to the God Breezes as they blow my direction. It started on Monday while I was in the bathtub.  My God Breezes come to me in songs. A lyric will pop into my head and I will start to sing the song. If I don’t know the words; I look them up. The song that came to me was “Let the Sunshine in” by the 5th Dimension. Every day another sunshine song has reminded me of my mission to write this essay. Today I opened up my Facebook page to see a post from a dear high school friend who started chemo this week. Her post was Good Day Sunshine!

I pulled every sunshine song that I have in my iTunes into a playlist. Most of them are pitiful. They deal with someone being the sunshine in your life or ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. Here is how I feel about this. No one can be the sunshine in your life! That is a destructive way to live. We have the ability to tap into the greatest light of all. It is the love that God has for you and in turn the love that you have for yourself. We were taught in Sunday school to let our lights shine.  How in the world do you do that?  The song said, don’t hide your light under a basket. That is kind of like pulling the drapes.

It starts with opening up your heart to love yourself. We are taught to love our neighbor as ourselves.  If you don’t love yourself you can’t love others. Loving yourself is the fuel that allows your light to shine. Not only does it bless you but your sunshine warms the world around you.  Even after you are gone from this life your light will continue to shine.

Open up your drapes and allow your light to be fueled by the things that make you happy! Get rid of your clutter. If it doesn’t make you smile then let it go to bless others! Release your perfectionism because it wants you to hide in the dark. Turn on your smile and ignite the joy in you by listening to your body! Get your rest, drink your water, eat nutritious food, go for a walk and practice laughing!  Fill your home with good sounds, good smells, good times and most of all the light that is you!

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