playing small

This weekend we saw a wall hanging with words that "cut me to the quick," and, in a relatively rare moment of extravagance, we bought it. On the spot. Don't have a permanent place for it yet, but it's hanging now in my little room/studio/creative space where I can see it as I write.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate...
Our deepest fear is that we are all 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, fabulous?
Actually, who are we not to be?
You are a child of God,
your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightening about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure
around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
It is in everyone and as we let our own light shine
we unconsiously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

- Nelson Mandela