Article November 5, 2012 Issue

The square of light

John Palenz

There it shone—the square of light. A morning brilliance, less than two inches square, on the laundry room floor inside the closed door.

I had never noticed this light before. For years, I have enjoyed observing sunlight streaming through the windows of our home onto walls, floors, and room objects—brightening surfaces, sometimes forming patterns, and often displaying the utility and beauty that illumination affords.

When the direction of sunlight is less obvious, I look for the beam to discover where it comes from. This reminds me of the importance of watching the source of our thoughts to discern their origin. Are these thoughts coming from God? The Bible brings out: “The entrance of thy [God’s] words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalms 119:130).