Who are you not to be?

I hugged my knees to myself. I realized, with a sharp pain, that I was nothing--nothing compared to God, or anybody else for that matter. I wasn't pretty, or smart, are athletic. But then a thought whipped around my head--something that I'd heard somewhere.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

My eyes flicked open. Who was I not to be?

But how could I? It didn't make any sense. I would never be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, or fabulous.

But then how did this quote apply to me?

I got off the ground, standing next to the tree. In the distance I could see the farmhouses and barns of the families that lived here with me in rural Ohio. If I let my light shine, was I really giving other people the unconscious permission to do so, also?

No. That's just an old saying.

But was it?

I started to run, my hair flapping wildly in the wind.

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous...?

I ran faster, my feet flying.

Actually, who are you not to be?

I stopped, pulling to a halt. I closed my eyes and in my head I prayed, God, I don't know how to shine, I don't know how to be anything, but with you, all things are possible. I opened my eyes, smiling. Quietly, I whispered to the wind,

''Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."