Giving Thanks Day 29 ~ Those who Reignite the Flame Within Me

Today I am thankful, and truly grateful for those that have lit my flame. Albert Schweitzer wrote "At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” I can look back on my life and think of certain people who have sparked or reignited the flame within me, those that give you back your sight and guide you back to your path when you've become lost. Those individuals that saw potential when I wasn't focused, those that pushed me to go further when I felt I was doing all that I could, those that saw my light and could see my flame was about to go out. My life has been forever enriched by the support that has come from friends, family, teachers, pastors, and even complete strangers. It takes a very special person who realizes when someone is at a vulnerable time in their life that reaches out to help when there are so many out there that would welcome in kicking you when you are down. I couldn't even begin to thank all these people in my life, but today I think of times where my life could have gone in so many different directions. Some have touched my life briefly, yet their words echo on. Some have touched my life many times over the years, each time helping my flame to grow brighter. There have been some that were protectors, whether someone tried to fan the flame, or that could see when my flame was in danger of being snuffed out and shielded my light. When I look back on my life, these are the people who believed in me, made me feel special, or have helped me grow and learn....those are my flame lighters and igniters....people that touch your life in such a way that you are never, ever the same...Those that you will never forget. Maybe they gave you self confidence, a compliment, listened, celebrated your joys, encouraged you, picked you up, eased your pain, turned you around, or joined in locking arms with you as you went along your path. It makes me think about my favorite movie of all time...The Wizard of Oz. How many times in life have we felt like Dorothy....where are life has literally felt displaced and we are somewhere we've never been and lost, just trying to find "home". When along comes some very special people that are on our path that help guide us, or just join us along the way. They may be needing to find their way too. And together you set off on this quest together. They share in your journey along the way, they keep you company, and they keep you on your path. There are dangers along the way, those that set out to keep you from getting there, and sometimes we may not even see them, but our "igniters" are there and they protect us, they fight for us. Sometimes we are locked away and they come in to rescue us. And in the end we also share in protecting them from the very same dangers. These are the special people along our life's path that help us when we need a "brain", or a "heart", or need "courage", and these are the special people that help us find our "home". And once we get to see "The Wizard" (our Faith) we discover that along the way our light has been in us all along, and we recognize that there are those that have made this possible along the way. People that you've felt you've known your whole life, no matter when they joined you along your life's path. People that when they are gone, you long for just one more moment, one more conversation, or wish they never had to go. The part when Dorothy is saying goodbye to all her friends as she is going home, and she looks at Scarecrow and says "I think I'll miss you most of all" (makes me cry each and every time)....that's when Dorothy realizes she may have been lost but without all of them she would not be able to see that she has had the power in her all the time to go home, that along her path, they were all lost, and they found her just as much as she found them.......sometimes you have to be lost in order to be found ♥ Today I am thankful for those who have "found" me and I thank God that our paths crossed, or intertwined, your spark has ignited my flame and made it what it is today ♥