A Light In The Dark

You and I are human. If you are a human on this Earth, you face periods of darkness. Rich, poor, man or woman, it doesn’t matter. I just finished teaching my students the Outsiders. This is the story by S.E. Hinton of two rival gangs called the Greaser’s and the Soc’s narrated by a Greaser named Ponyboy. By the end of the story, Ponyboy’s perspective of thinking only his gang crew has it rough changes to it is “rough all over” as he gets to know some of the wealthier “Soc’s”. We all face darkness and if we liked night, we wouldn’t long for the light or appreciate the spectacle of light in the darkness so much as we do.

It is in the dark, and in those rough spots, we are most apt to see the light more clearly. This is a great life metaphor: when things are rough we are more apt to appreciate the good (the light) and be more receptive to the truth about life more than any other point because we are looking for it more.

There is a beautiful example of this in my favorite film “The Fellowship of the Rings” where Galadriel is giving Frodo a gift of light for his journey that will later come in handy, of course.

“And you, Ring-bearer,’ she said, turning to Frodo. ‘I come to you last who are not last in my thoughts. For you I have prepared this.’ She held up a small crystal phial: it glittered as she moved it, and rays of white light sprang from her hand. ‘In this phial,’ she said, ‘is caught the light of Eärendil’s star, set amid the waters of my fountain. It will shine still brighter when night is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out. Remember Galadriel and her Mirror!’

Frodo took the phial, and for a moment as it shone between them, he saw her again standing like a queen, great and beautiful.”

During this darker winter solstice, are you open to the light and words of the Spirit?

I want to share with you a Christmas story. I was thinking back to when I was younger and watching the Christmas lights on the tree and how much those lights got me thinking. Wondering, filled with the mystery of life. What is the source of light? What was the source of Life? This terrific beauty that was comforting me in this moment and throughout special moments in my life?

I looked over to this box displayed once again on a mantle, which reminds me of the magic of Christmas and this time, enamored by the light and the sparkling. Even though I knew the glittering flakes were fake of course, I was reconnecting to my past. See the video below.

After meditating for a bit, before bed I picked up a devotional and it said this for this very evening:

“I AM THE KING OF KINGS, AND THE LORD OF LORDS DWELLING IN DAZZLING BRIGHT LIGHT! I AM ALSO YOUR SHEPHARD, COMPANION AND FRIEND–THE ONE WHO NEVER LETS GO OF YOUR HAND.”

Now, if I didn’t take the time to draw inward and close (hard for me to do these days) I would have never been open to hearing any of this. It is my hope for you this season that you take some time to hear your source of highest wisdom and get recentered in these challenging times!

The light isn’t just a star in the sky that can be covered up by clouds. It is a light within each other us that God gave us. Many blessings toward that end to all who read this.