As I sit here watching my hardwood floors get refinished it occurs to me that the process is similar to refining our view of ourselves so we can let our own light shine.
The dullness, marks and stains on the floor represent the accumulation of anger, hurt, fear and guilt that we have built up over the years. Just as we can’t put one coat of ployurethane over the stains and expect them to disappear, we can’t hide our pain under the thin guise of over-busyness, over shopping, over eating/drinking, or whatever our drug of choice, and expect it to go away.
The deeper the stain on the floor, the more sanding it needs. And, just like removing a stubborn stain, sometimes we have to dig deep to let go of our pain. The events we experience and the relationships we attract to us are all part of the sanding process. They rub against us to cut through our thin coat of defense and expose the true essence of who we are. If we use these encounters to practice remembering our true, loving nature then, with each “sanding”, we become a little clearer about ourselves.
At first things may seem to be getting messier but, after the dust settles, we wipe it away and see a smoother, lovelier self than we saw before. As we learn to grow in love, we need less and less sanding. With no deep stains left to hide, we can safely let our love (polyurethane) rise to the surface; not to cover anything up, but simply to bring out the natural beauty of who we are.
Each layer of love will be stronger, shinier and more resilient than the one before. Then, instead of needing major drama in our lives as a wake up call, we will find that just a gentle reminder (buffing) will be enough to let our inner light shine brighter than a thousand newly finished hardwood floors.
Let your spirit soar!
Paula
Spirit Rising Ministries 
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