{"id":2485,"date":"2018-06-16T00:04:02","date_gmt":"2018-06-16T00:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/what-gives-you-light\/"},"modified":"2023-04-20T18:11:55","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T18:11:55","slug":"what-gives-you-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/blog\/what-gives-you-light\/","title":{"rendered":"What Gives You Light?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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[artcred pics='Julia Caesar']<\/figcaption><\/figure>In giddy anticipation of Field Guide to Everyday Magic<\/em> Volume 2<\/a> (hitting stores this August) we\u2019ve been revisiting our favorite pages from Volume 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We shared this Field Guide<\/em> prompt with our readers on social media, and now we\u2019re sharing their answers with you!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What gives you light?<\/h3>\n

French press coffee at a friend\u2019s place, a couple hour\u2019s road trip listening to punk rock, the words \u201cyou are right as you are,\u201d & hearing from a friend who loves me. \u2014 Book.scoff<\/a><\/p>\n

Being in my creative space with paint covered hands, the smell and texture of wet paint is very alluring. \u2014 Halleshobbies<\/a><\/p>\n

Having a heart to heart talk with a kindred spirit. \u2014 Mybooknerdlife<\/a><\/p>\n

Watching our garden unfold, especially through the eyes of my young daughters. \u2014 Katelynn Bose<\/p>\n

Playing with my lab, Daisy. She is pure sunshine! \u2014 Kobelangela<\/a><\/p>\n

Song birds…a setting sun…a long drive down a dirt road \u2014 Brydejune<\/a><\/p>\n

Definitely a new tube of lipstick! \u2014 Joie Foster<\/p>\n

What gives me light is the beauty in the details that Mother Nature creates. The intricacies of a flower bud or the sparkle of dew on a blade of grass as the sun rises.\u00a0\u2014 \u00a0Loraliehoffortphotography<\/a><\/p>\n

What gives me light is speaking Spanish. The words sing and connect me to my beautiful culture. The language is my home and my family. \u2014 Dreaminginspanish<\/a><\/p>\n

Watching my two rescue kitties sleep peacefully. No matter how many mistakes I make along the way and how many regrets I have adopting my two darlings was the best thing I have ever done.\u00a0\u00a0\u2014 aearhen<\/a><\/p>\n

Watercolor painting and a good convo with my daughter. \u2014 Suejorgenson<\/a><\/p>\n

Using my past battle with depression to help someone who is currently struggling to understand a new diagnosis within themselves. \u2014 Cheryl Jackson<\/p>\n

Watching my daughters evolve into amazing young women daily gives me light. \u2014 Imsocreative72<\/a><\/p>\n

Isaiah 58:10-12 talks about how when we extend our hand to those in need our night will become like noonday! In the Message Bible it says our lives will begin to glow in the darkness! THAT gives me light!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m so thankful for the opportunity to serve girls aging out of foster care! This gives me light! \u00a0\u2014 Becky Smith Shaffer<\/p>\n

My family, especially my mom. When things are rough, talking with her always makes me aware of the light and joy that are present and that I have overlooked. \u2014 Watersparkart<\/a><\/p>\n

Spending time with my true girlfriends. None of us live in the same town, but once we all get together it\u2019s like my soul is on fire and I\u2019m rejuvenated. This gives me light and happiness.\u00a0\u2014 Ekady<\/a><\/p>\n

Watching the waves roll in, smelling the salty air and toes in the sand…I close my eyes and I am light. \u2014 Jenny_d_health_coaching<\/a><\/p>\n

Helping others gives me light, whether it is helping a patient to navigate the halls of the hospital where I work or teaching a little one to read. Helping others lets me shine my light from within to my community and my world. \u2014 Stephanie Leigh<\/p>\n

The memory of my father’s smile and the twinkle in his eyes. He taught me how to look for light, literally and figuratively. \u2014 Paulateach<\/a><\/p>\n

Laughter, smiles, giggles and all things ridiculous that help joy seep into even the darkest of days. \u2014 Myjoyfullife_photography<\/a><\/p>\n

An open window on a beautiful day. \u2014 Kaylinamalie<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Planting the seeds that grow the flowers that nurture the butterflies and bees. \u2014 Poohshuman<\/a><\/p>\n

Theater kids. I work with some amazing teens. Their creativity, kindness, and intelligence makes me confident in the future. \u2014 Rachel ‘Conway’ Schieffelbein<\/p>\n

E.E. Cummings & Rainier Rilke, watching the dance of birds mating in spring, and sipping coffee on the back porch – bundled up, no matter the season. \u2014 Lollie_fleur<\/a><\/p>\n

15 minutes of stream-of-consciousness writing first thing in the morning followed by a good stretch. Sets me up for a great day both physically and mentally. \u2014 Jennpipe<\/a><\/p>\n

Teaching horseback riding! 35 years and still going. I love the horses, my students, being outdoors year round, our farm and the reward of doing what I love! It lights me up every time I walk into our 60-year old, big, red barn! \u2014 Dianebakerbaker<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunflower fields, soft pillows, the words of Mother Teresa and blasting Creed with my earbuds while I exercise. A smile from a stranger, doggy licks, and hugging the ones I love.\u00a0 \u2014 Sara Cowan<\/p>\n

Messy faces. Strawberries and bananas smeared everywhere. \u2014 Mytherapies<\/a><\/p>\n

Opening the light filtering system. My eyes. My mind. My spirit. My awareness. My camera. \u2014 Bethrunsaway<\/a><\/p>\n

My morning walk with my dog – It’s my chance to be immersed in nature and it makes me smile to watch him trotting along so happily beside me. \u2014 Helenhobden<\/a><\/p>\n

Watching spring unfold on the farm, hay starting to grow, calves being born, bluebirds moving in to the houses around the meadow, hearing peepers at night, and roosters in the morning. \u00a0\u2014 Penny Kleiner<\/p>\n

Standing outside on a clear night, looking up at the Universe, knowing it’s more vast than I can conceive, yet I am somehow made up of those ancient molecules – that totally lights me up with wonder and awe. \u2014 Meri Arnett-Kremian<\/p>\n

Watching the sun rise over the mountain. Opening the door to my dear friend. Sharing phone conversations with my son and daughter across the miles. A Friday evening date night dinner with my husband at a favorite restaurant . . . it is a tradition of 60 years. \u2014 Vi Ruelke Gommer<\/p>\n

Meditation. It\u2019s like shining a light into myself. Helping me figure out what I\u2019m feeling and thinking. What I need to embrace and let go of.\u00a0\u2014 Mamawelch_adventures<\/a><\/p>\n

My light comes from reading and writing poetry. The lines, images, and verses detour around my head and go straight to my heart and soul. \u2014 Renee Howard Cassese<\/p>\n

My light comes from my faith, the spirit of my Mother, my Olympic worthy ability to daydream, and my daily renewal from nature. \u2014 Gina Johnson<\/p>\n

Singing “You are my Sunshine” to my one-year-old grandson while he watches me and smiles. That most definitely lights up my day! \u2014 Cathy Gawczynski<\/p>\n

Witnessing the many discoveries my young preschool students make through their young eyes and senses. \u2014 Juliana Ciminelli Longiotti<\/p>\n

The opening petals of spring flowers.\u00a0 Their silent blessings of life lift me up. \u2014 Donna Cobb<\/p>\n

I have a “looking place” where I go watch the sunrise. It never fails to light my day. \u2014 Gabriele Burgess<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A huge thank you to all the readers who shared their responses with us \u2014 there were so many! Thank you for sharing your light with us.<\/p>\n

Find us on Instagram for more inspiration and chances to respond to future prompts: @BellaGraceMagazine<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Check out Field Guide to Everyday Magic<\/em>, from the very beginning, and pre-order your copy of Volume 2 at:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/stampington.com\/field-guide-to-everyday-magic<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In giddy anticipation of Field Guide to Everyday Magic Volume 2 (hitting stores this August) we\u2019ve been revisiting our favorite pages from Volume 1. We shared this Field Guide prompt with our readers on social media, and now we\u2019re sharing their answers with you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,128,129],"tags":[10,56,52,21],"class_list":["post-2485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-everyday-magic","category-inspiration","tag-bella-grace","tag-daily-gratitude","tag-inspire","tag-ordinary-magic"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2485"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2485\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellagracemagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}