Life teaches us many lessons. Some of these lessons are universal and affect you regardless of your age, sex, religion, place of birth or financial status.
One of these lessons is nobody gets out alive, we are all appointed to die. Another life lesson is that at some point, we are going to experience pain, suffering or hurt. Another way to say this is, in life there will be some darkness.
Darkness is a metaphor for evil, ignorance, hard-times or wickedness. The unfortunate reality is that some of us have grown comfortable in the dark. It seems that darkness is more familiar and an easier place to be.
How can we transform darkness to light in our lives? In life lighting a candle might mean seeking help for your addiction, asking a friend or family member for help, going to the doctor for a test, seek counseling for a mental health issue, leaving a toxic relationship or forgiving yourself or forgiving someone else. When darkness has entered my life, the way I lit my candle was trusting God to do the right thing at the right time for His glory and my good. The reality is there is a delicate balance between darkness and light in our lives.
Most people do not enjoy problems and struggles. Most of us prefer sunshine, blue skies, rainbows, and a gentle breeze in life. But when life’s troubles rears its ugly head and things get hard, it is often easier to curse the darkness than to do what it takes to light a candle and shed light on the issue.
Too many of us would rather fix the blame rather than fix the problem. There is a myth that ostriches bury their heads in the sand. The truth of the matter is that ostriches are not able to build nests in trees, so they lay their eggs in holes dug in the ground. When it is time for them to tend to their eggs, they stick their heads in the ground to rotate them to help them continue to grow. In reality they are not running from a situation, but rather running to a situation to fix it. Can we say the same?
It seems like every time we turn on the news or open a newspaper, we are faced with another sad or bad situation. Whether it is racism, such as the recent massacre in Buffalo, New York at a predominately Black grocery store, or another girl being forced into human trafficking, or a war on the other side of the globe, that makes no sense.
It is easy to wonder what has the world come to. Sometimes it is so overwhelming that we ask ourselves, “What can we do to make a difference?” What difference can one person make? I believe that all of us have the power to make a difference right in our own sphere of influence.
Whether it is making sure we show up to vote, or hold others accountable for the decisions they make, or sending money to help a cause we believe in, we are all part of the same tapestry that reaches its true beauty when pulled together.
All around my city we have signs posted that say, if you see something, say something. The key is to not make excuses. Step up and do your part. Do something. Own up to it and start today to make a difference whenever and wherever you can.
We are currently in serious times, and it may be a while before we see light at the end of the tunnel. Inflation is on the rise, people are still dying from the pandemic, and some have lost hope that things will ever get better.
Just like our ancestors who had to hold on to get through troubled waters, it is our turn to be the salt of the earth and light during dark times. It is time for all of us to let our little light shine.
Healing Without Hate: It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle. Pass it on.
Visit www.WendyGladney.com and www.forgivingforliving.org to learn more. Wendy is a life strategist, coach, consultant, author, and speaker.