Inadequate - despite the view

I have had a week away to reflect, to read and to pray.  For a million reasons it was a wonderful week - wonderful encounters, laughter, sea air and always a beautiful view.  But now I have to return and face the reality that is what we call 'now'.  It's tough.  I probably should have read more, a lot more, I probably should have prayed more, a lot more.  I had a rest from physically strenuous exercise and just spent time walking my dog every day.  I enjoyed fish and chips - who doesn't?

However, I feel inadequate to deal with some of the reflections that have come back at me.  It is this feeling of inadequacy that leads me to hand over the rest of this blog to a quotation.  Nelson Mandela used these words in 1994.  Although some dispute the authorship, frankly, it doesn't seem to matter.  I think he did say this and it seems exactly the kind of thing he would say.  So, for all, who like me, feel inadequate - take this!

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are 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 you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.