The light within gives structure to our storms.

To spread over a large area or among a large number of people; but also, to become or cause to become intermingled with a substance by movement; but also, to cause to grow faintly by dispersing light in many directions.

Most mornings, I take our pup to the beach, which is about 15 minutes away. I've seen some awe-inspiring things, visions I will never forget.

But this morning, I felt as if I might burst into a billion pieces and diffuse into the atmosphere and become the light at sunrise.

Rain was approaching from the west: beautiful grays reaching down from the clouds and across the horizon into the blue-gray ocean. Then a faint pink began to appear, dusting the now purple gray rain clouds. The colors continued to brighten, the light intensified, and the rain approached. All of this culminating in a great crescendo of light, four separate rainbows serving as pillars for the approaching storm.

The intensity of the light was unlike anything I've ever experienced. The light was tangible. Chills burst through my chest and emotion swelled in my heart. I was overcome by this sunrise.

I'm walking down a beach I've traversed a thousand times. This tract of land has been the setting for some of my most inspired moments and most vicious self-talk. I'm so grateful I remembered to pick my head up today and just stare into the sky, to stare at the water.

When I can open myself up and pay attention to the light, when I'm conscious of this movement we call diffuse, when I can let myself go, these are the moments I am most at peace and when I achieve clarity.

The more we can move ourselves into situations like this by simply stepping outside and looking up, the better we can connect to our surroundings and to each other. The sub-atomic bits of energy we give off, these miniscule pieces of us that reach out to our loved ones, these elements of sensation, they diffuse into our shared atmosphere and connect us.

If we can get better at receiving these bits of energy, and translating them, and communicating through them, if we can remain aware of this exchange of energy and light, we can remain aware of each other, really aware, on a pre-thought, nonverbal, sensational way.

We can diffuse the joy and sadness and inspiration and disappointment and desire and fear and love and hope and all the light contained in each sensation we feel. We can diffuse this energy into our environments and shared spaces and we can receive this diffused energy. We can then use this energy to connect, and remain connected, and generate an unparalleled intimacy with our loved ones. And we will reflect this intimacy out into the world, to generate a powerful force that will resonate through each of us, and serve as pillars in both our individual and collective storms.