i heard this in Akeelah and the Bee the other day and somehow came across it this morning. it's too beautiful not to share.

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 and fabulous? Actually,
who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your
playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing
enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't
feel insecure around you. 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 others
permission to do the same. As we are liberated
from our own fear, our presence automatically
liberates others.

marianne williamson
a return to love