Sometimes I find myself sitting quietly, observing the way we move through the world — so vastly different in our ways, our wounds, our expressions. And yet, at the core of it all, I know something to be deeply true: we are all equal. Equal not in the details of our stories, but in the essence of who we are.
We are light.
I often think of us as lanterns.
The old-fashioned kind — the kind with a single flame at the center, surrounded by glass shutters or filters. Each of us holds the same divine spark inside. The light itself — the source — is identical for all of us. But what makes us appear so different is the unique structure surrounding that light.
Some lanterns have thick, heavy shutters — layers of conditioning, trauma, or pain — so dense that the light barely escapes. We may even label them as “dark souls,” forgetting that the light is still there, only hidden. Others have refined, almost translucent filters, and their light pours through so brightly that we feel warmed just by being near them. We call them illuminated souls.
And then there are the lanterns that have taken a tumble or two. The glass cracked by life’s trials. And those cracks… they show up in the light too — distorting it, sometimes, or refracting it in unpredictable ways. Just like personalities shaped by trust issues, grief, or deep love. Some lanterns shine in unexpected colours — their filters tinted by unique life experiences, creative souls expressing something no one else quite can.
Each lantern is different. Every one of us, a singular constellation of filters, wounds, colours, and stories. And yet, no matter the shape, condition, or hue of the outer shell — the flame inside is the same. Pure source light. Untouched. Unchanged.
“We are all equal.
Equal not in the details of our stories, but in the essence of who we are.
We are light.”
Sometimes, during the dark night of the soul, we forget this. We lose sight of our own light entirely and fumble through the darkness. It is in those moments we most need to be reminded: your light is still there. Always.
When we tend that inner light — when we clear the shutters, heal the cracks, gently polish the filters — our lantern begins to glow more clearly. It becomes a guiding light, a kind of inner GPS that illuminates our path forward. And here’s the beautiful part: even one light, in the darkness, can help others see. When we let our light shine, we don't just empower ourselves — we become a beacon for others. Our presence makes it easier for them to find their way, too.
The way I see it, this journey through life is about gently clearing the filters, softening the shutters, and allowing more and more of that original, radiant light to shine through. Until, eventually, what remains is just the essence.
“The flame.
The light that was always there.
The light that always will be.”
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