Shadows
Morning walks are always a time of quiet reflection. I love the thoughts that come and go, and the insights gained.
This morning I walked early. It was still cold, but with a promise of warmth to come. I reflected on the shadows and the sunlight and how they are a metaphor for life.
We are constantly moving, traveling along the path of our lives. Hills and valleys, twists and turns, never knowing what lies around the next bend. Yet we keep on walking forward; going backward just isn’t an option, the past no longer exists. Standing still is possible but rarely comfortable. Besides, inevitably we will be pulled forward again, willingly or not.
This morning I walked through areas deep in shadow, trees overhead making the path dim. It was cool in the shadows and the breeze raised goosebumps on my skin. It reminded me of the dark times in our lives when we feel cold and alone. We feel surrounded by a darkness that seems never ending. We want to stop, curl up inside ourselves and tell the world to leave us alone with our pain. Yet we walk on, going forward, not quite daring to trust that there is something other than the shadows.
Then something happens. We receive a message from a friend, we read an article that deeply touches our wounded heart, we get a chance to lend a helping hand, and there is a sudden glimmer of light. It may be fleeting, but it is there.
We start looking for the light instead of the dark. We walk forward with the hope of walking into the sunlight once again. Everything shifts as we see through the eyes of the light instead of the shadows.
This morning, as I walked into the sunlight, I could feel the warmth on my skin and on my face. I could see the amazing sparkles as the sun hit the early morning dew on the grass making everything dance. I breathed deep and gave thanks for just being. Gratitude given that I am able to walk on these mornings, music in my ears, fresh air to breathe, beauteous nature all around me, such abundance that I often take for granted.
As I walked back into the shadows I took that gratitude with me. The dew was still there on the grass, and when I looked at it I knew that the ability to sparkle was still there, it just needed light. And as the sun rose higher in the sky, the light shifted, the shadows moved, and the grass sparkled with magic once again.
And so it is for us. The sparkle of light, the magic, is always there. Sometimes it is harder to see, difficult to remember that we carry the light within us. Yet we have only to ask it to shine and everything shifts.