Breathed the Devil’s Dust

Brothers Who Breathed the Devil’s Dust   The longer you stare at this photo the more you feel, the more you see, and the more you wonder. You wonder what was going through their minds as they stood there when this photo was taken. You wonder why they ever started working in the coal mines, and mostly, who were these men.   These men were sons, fathers, husbands, uncles, nephews, maybe even grandfathers, but most of all, brothers. Coal mining brothers who looked out for one another, who supported one another, who shared hard times “suckin’ down the devil’s dust just to keep the fires a-blazin’.”   Their faces may be covered in dust, but their hearts were pure, hardworking, and tough beyond measure. It reminds us that we should spend less time on who we are on the exterior, and more time sharing and appreciating who we are deep down. For it is what is deep in our hearts and souls that carry on despite times of darkness. Just as the bright light on the miner’s helmet helped them see through the darkness, we must also shine our light.   "See the light in others and treat them as if that is all you see." – Dr. Wayne Dyer