The Dark Places

"I have learned things in the dark that I could've never learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need the darkness as much as I need the light!”

—

Barbara Brown Taylor, Learning to Walk in the Dark

It's not hard to notice that we live in a culture obsessed with all things light, and happy, and good. Yet, this is pretty much no one's constant reality. The irony here is that peace and joy are often byproducts of digging deep, of soul-searching, of working through painful inner material. From death comes rebirth, but we often only want the rebirth. I have found that the "dark" places are sometimes an invitation into the secret place, the transcendent, where the Divine resides, where we have communion over things that really matter. And if we're lucky enough, we take the unknown pieces to a safe place- a therapist, friend, partner, or spouse, and little by little, new light enters the dark places.

If you are going through a tough season in life, hang in there! Find your safe people, your safe places, and be honest, and brave enough to walk through the dark.