---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes all we have is a little light…"
description: "\"“Sometimes all we have is a little light that we can shine outward into a big darkness.”\" — Janisse Ray"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/janisse-ray-39351_activism_sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light_2689280.jpg"
---

#  Sometimes all we have is a little light that we can shine…

![“Sometimes all we have is a little light that we can shine outward into a big darkness.” quote by Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/janisse-ray-39351_activism_sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light_2689280.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/janisse-ray-39351_activism_sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light_2689280.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/janisse-ray-39351_activism_sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light_2689280.jpg)

> ““Sometimes all we have is a little light that we can shine outward into a big darkness.””

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Even a small light can affect a large darkness when shared outward.

**In simple terms:** Small positivity can impact big problems.

Key Takeaway

Share your strengths to help others.

Themes

hope community impact

Mood

optimistic encouraging

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- volunteering
- leadership
- mental health

Key Concepts

psychology social influence

Questions to Reflect On

- What light can you share today?
- How does sharing affect you?

A Different Perspective

Small actions may feel insignificant.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Light and darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-and-darkness/) [World-change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-change/)

## Related quotes

> [“Reach out and help others. If you have the power to make someone happy, do it. Be a vessel, be the change, be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/reach-out-and-help-others-if-you-have-the-power-to-make-someone-happy/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [“Alone in the dark, a great light illuminated my path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/alone-in-the-dark-a-great-light-illuminated-my-path/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Feeling guilt dims our light. Instead of dimming our light to make others feel more comfortable, we could just continue to shine and foster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaric-hutchinson/feeling-guilt-dims-our-light-instead-of-dimming-our-light-to-make/)

[Alaric Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaric-hutchinson/)

> [“In the darkest time, I have always believed, the light will shine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/in-the-darkest-time-i-have-always-believed-the-light-will-shine/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Illuminate the wonderful light within you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/illuminate-the-wonderful-light-within-you/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“The path of light is the quest for knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-path-of-light-is-the-quest-for-knowledge/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Let's say a person says: "I am the light. It's my desire to be a light unto the world: To shine a light wherever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/let-s-say-a-person-says-i-am-the-light-it-s-my-desire-to-be-a-light/)

[Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/)

> [“While it is easy to become paralyzed by the world's suffering and the inequalities created by corruption and greed, we actually hold immense power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/while-it-is-easy-to-become-paralyzed-by-the-world-s-suffering-and-the/)

[Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/)

> [“The world is changed one question at a time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/the-world-is-changed-one-question-at-a-time/)

[Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/)

> [“The human body resonates at the same frequency as Mother Earth. So instead of only focusing on trying to save the earth, which operates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-human-body-resonates-at-the-same-frequency-as-mother-earth-so/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [“The right words can change your whole world!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-urbach/the-right-words-can-change-your-whole-world/)

[Nancy B. Urbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-urbach/)

> [“Working with women is such a rewarding experience because as you interact with them, you realize that although they face various struggles; women have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/working-with-women-is-such-a-rewarding-experience-because-as-you/)

[Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/)

> [“Apple at the core, its core value, is that we believe that people with passion can change the world for the better. … And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/apple-at-the-core-its-core-value-is-that-we-believe-that-people-with/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“I no longer follow the voices of the sane. I follow the ill because they see farther, feel much more and change what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-no-longer-follow-the-voices-of-the-sane-i-follow-the-ill-because/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

## More by Janisse Ray

> [All I can say about Juliette of the Herbs is that it has made me look at how my life is now, still close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/all-i-can-say-about-juliette-of-the-herbs-is-that-it-has-made-me-look/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [The landscape of my childhood was one of fierce occupation by trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/the-landscape-of-my-childhood-was-one-of-fierce-occupation-by-trees/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [“Most of us, most of our lives, are asked to live small. Most of us quit trying very young to live the bigness we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/most-of-us-most-of-our-lives-are-asked-to-live-small-most-of-us-quit/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [“Rural places have hemorrhaged their best and brightest children, their intellectuals, thinkers, organizers, leaders, and artists-those who would create change and who would parent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/rural-places-have-hemorrhaged-their-best-and-brightest-children-their/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [“The assumption is that hope is a prerequisite for action. Without hope one becomes depressed and then unable to act. I want to stress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/the-assumption-is-that-hope-is-a-prerequisite-for-action-without-hope/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [“Perhaps no word exists in our terribly inadequate English language to name this abstract, emotional thing that is not forgiveness, is not forgetting, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/perhaps-no-word-exists-in-our-terribly-inadequate-english-language-to/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [“I think of my own life, how it embraces a great quest to know every cog of nature--the names of oaks and ferns, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/i-think-of-my-own-life-how-it-embraces-a-great-quest-to-know-every/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [“Turning back to embrace the past has been a long, slow lesson not only in self-esteem, but in patriotism—pride in homeland, heritage. It has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/turning-back-to-embrace-the-past-has-been-a-long-slow-lesson-not-only/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [I carry the landscape inside me like an ache. The story of who I am cannot be severed from the story of the flatwoods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/i-carry-the-landscape-inside-me-like-an-ache-the-story-of-who-i-am/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

> [“Of what use to humanity, I ask myself, is a man who cannot see beyond his own hurt?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/of-what-use-to-humanity-i-ask-myself-is-a-man-who-cannot-see-beyond/)

[Janisse Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

[Explore all 11 Janisse Ray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/)

## More Activism quotes

> [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

> [“All struggles against oppression in the modern woeld begin by redefining what had previously been consideered private, non-public and non-political issues as matters of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyla-benhabib/all-struggles-against-oppression-in-the-modern-woeld-begin-by/)

Seyla Benhabib

> [Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/joy-doesn-t-betray-but-sustains-activism-and-when-you-face-a-politics/)

[Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/)

> [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

> [Paul Revere earned his living as a silversmith. But what do we remember him for? His volunteer work. All activism is volunteering in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-ellis/paul-revere-earned-his-living-as-a-silversmith-but-what-do-we/)

Susan J. Ellis

> [Being in service and being involved in something that is greater than you is what makes a person complete and whole. The very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-moreno/being-in-service-and-being-involved-in-something-that-is-greater-than/)

[Rita Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-moreno/)

> [“The times do not call for grassroots political activism, as if the next election might be enough to reverse a massive cultural earthquake. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-miller/the-times-do-not-call-for-grassroots-political-activism-as-if-the/)

Paul D. Miller

> [He went to Paris looking for answers to questions that bothered him so. He was impressive, young and aggressive, saving the world on his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/he-went-to-paris-looking-for-answers-to-questions-that-bothered-him/)

[Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/)

> [Poetry is a lousy form of activism; it doesn't really change much. And maybe we can point to one or two historical times when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-gottlieb/poetry-is-a-lousy-form-of-activism-it-doesn-t-really-change-much-and/)

[Daphne Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-gottlieb/)

> [There's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/there-s-a-lot-of-activism-that-doesn-t-deal-with-empowerment-and-you/)

[Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/)

> [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/)

[Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/)

> [Ya'll know what you need to do? Get together, make a We Are The World record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/ya-ll-know-what-you-need-to-do-get-together-make-a-we-are-the-world/)

[Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/)

> [“There is no way to tell if we are the pioneers of a visionary new age, whisking humanity into the high vibrations of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-talat-phillips/there-is-no-way-to-tell-if-we-are-the-pioneers-of-a-visionary-new-age/)

[Jonathan Talat Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-talat-phillips/)

> [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/)

[Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/)

> [“A spirituality that is only private and self-absorbed, one devoid of an authentic political and social consciousness, does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/a-spirituality-that-is-only-private-and-self-absorbed-one-devoid-of/)

[Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/)

[Browse all 820 Activism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Sometimes all we have is a little light that we can shine outward into a big darkness.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Janisse Ray"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light-that-we-can-shine-outward/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Activism"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light-that-we-can-shine-outward/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/janisse-ray-39351_activism_sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light_2689280.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/janisse-ray-39351_activism_sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light_2689280.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/janisse-ray-39351_activism_sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light_2689280.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Sometimes all we have is a little light that we can shine outward into a big darkness.” — Janisse Ray",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Janisse Ray",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janisse-ray/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Sometimes all we have is a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light-that-we-can-shine-outward/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janisse-ray/sometimes-all-we-have-is-a-little-light-that-we-can-shine-outward/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
