Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
“I’m in the dark.” Have you ever said that? Oftentimes one says this when referring to a situation surrounded by uncertainty. In the dark lies the unknown, darkness contains uncertainty. Whereas light illuminates, darkness cloaks, allowing for hiding.
As a child, my siblings and I played a game in our basement called “tag in dark”. The lights were turned off and it was black as pitch. Whoever was “it” had to feel their way through the darkness to tag someone. We’d find nooks to hide in and large boxes to hide behind as we’d spend hours laughing and playing in the dark. Yet once the game was over and we had to go to bed a small night light illuminated our hallway.
Sometimes darkness is unsettling, even frightening. Sometimes it can be scary, as in horror movies, on Halloween Fright Trails, or when one is lost at night in an unknown environment. But darkness is also peaceful, contemplative, and relaxing. I don’t have nightlights in my home unless I have guests who prefer them. I love to sleep in a cool, dark room. If I wake in the night I feel my way, that’s the beauty of the dark. It calls upon us to use other senses and heightens our awareness. It teaches us to be unafraid of the unknown and unseen.
I remember visiting Sedona, Arizona for the first time. I was delighted to discover they had a light ordinance and there weren’t any street lamps in town. The walkways were illuminated by low light fixtures close to the ground so the dark night skies could be fully appreciated and enjoyed. It’s a feast for stargazers.
Luckily, I live in the woods, so when I head outdoors into the dark night I can look up at the sky and see the moon in whatever phase she’s in, as well as the stars and even some planets. When it’s the dark of the moon I feel enveloped by the black cloak of night.
I am afraid of some things. I’m afraid of loud noises, cruel people and certain environments. But, I love the night because I’m not afraid of the dark.
