It’s the power of the smallest candle in the darkness of a cave.

It’s the power of recognizing a lie for what it is, no matter how many people repeat it, or how often, or how loudly.

It’s the power of whistling in the graveyard, of laughter when you’re lost in the woods, of singing when you’re most afraid.

It’s the power of being reasonable when everyone else is losing their temper or losing their minds.

It’s the power of treating a child with respect.

It’s the power of treating yourself with respect.

It’s the power of standing naked in the middle of a thunderstorm, feeling the winds batter your body, and allowing yourself to be healed and cleansed.

It’s the power of knowing when to let go and how to do so.

It’s the power of going without, of knowing when to stop, when to say “no”.

It’s the power of opening your mind to new ideas, creative inspiration, new people, sacred ways of knowing, and the possibility you have been wrong.

It’s the power of feeling the anger fall away from your muscles and bones.

It’s the power of withholding a judgement or a comment.

It’s the power offering your hand to another.

It’s the power of one quiet person, listening, dignified and still, in the middle of a room full of argumentative and competing voices.

It’s the power of daydreaming, of playing, of putting aside goals and agendas, of resting without guilt.

It’s the power of letting the present moment unfold before your eyes.

It’s the power of understanding that change is the essential nature of the universe.

It’s the power of understanding what wealth really is.

It’s the power of learning from the past, but never allowing what has gone before to limit what is possible in the future.

It’s the power of sex, music, folktales, flowers, and food.

It’s the power of keeping your senses open to wonder and delight.

It’s the power of never losing hope.

It’s the power of understanding that the monster you think is going to swallow you alive is really only a dust mite in diameter.

It’s the power of people talking to each other and saying, “yes, it was like that for me, too.”

It’s the power of knowing the next small thing that is the right thing to do, and then doing it.

It’s the only power people have to change things for the better.