I have three teenage daughters whom I love dearly.  They are intelligent, vivacious and ambitious…all of the things I used to be until I became their mother.  What I’m trying to say (and gently so as not to hurt their feelings) is that the job of mothering definitely has a way of sucking the “light” out of you.  Yes, I said light.

If you are the empathic, sensitive type at all, you understand what I’m talking about.  I’m speaking of those people who have this way of draining all of your positive energy.  When they are suffering from some crisis or experiencing anxiety they are drawn to you, get inside your aura and before you know it, you are left feeling depleted and in need of a nap.  I can say that I have physically felt the light leaving my body and have been so drained at times that I’ve I had to sit down before I collapse.  Maybe this isn’t everyone’s experience, but I believe that many of you know people that cause you to feel drained and lifeless after you’ve been with them.

As far as my kids are concerned, it is a gift I give to them freely even though they are not aware of how they suck my light. Just as in nursing, they no longer need my body to nourish them with nutrients, but with a different source of energy.  Now that they are teenagers, it is my job to teach them to recharge their own light by going to the Source and not their mother.  I am proud to say that my oldest has figured this out but she had to get out on her own to develop this skill.

So what do you do when you are sucked dry, left drained of your energy because you have either given it away or it is has been taken from you?  First, understand that we exist on this planet to be vehicles of love and light for God.  We really are meant to channel all of God’s grace and love through us and share it with the world.  With this as a fundamental understanding it is obvious what we need to do to regain our energy.

For many who are not aware of this infinite supply of light and love, there may be a tendency to run around “stealing” other people’s light energy.  When you are feeling low and depressed, you call a friend, talk to your therapist or priest, or even…call your mother. This is a normal reaction for those in desperate need of “light.”  But this just creates a vicious cycle of people feeding off of other people instead of going to the well for more water.  The well is infinitely full and is always available to you.

For me to recharge I have to “enter my castle” and sit in silence with the Holy Spirit and let Her fill me up with Her love and light.  For some this is requires meditation, for others contemplative prayer.  Regardless of the path you take to get to the well, the water in the well is the life source of God and it will quench your thirst and recharge your soul.