Into the Darkness

How do we feel if we only see the dark? Is life worth living? Perhaps it is still, but does darkness reduce the essence of our lives? Many questions to answer, but certain responses. What exist are mere assumptions of why sometimes we need to experience the darkness.

Darkness is reality.

One relates to something void and empty, rather than reality. It is real to feel our presence in the dark. Similarly, in the darkness of our lives, where problems and uncertainties cloud us, we feel real. This reality presents the hardships the world can offer to anyone. However, one must separate darkness itself from the metaphorical comparison of darkness to adversities in our lives. These are two distinct concepts. Problems are problems and must not be perceived as something dark. Problems are parts of our perceived reality. It exists not because for us to give us hope or make us stronger and better, rather it exists because it is part of our existence. We just need to deal with it, and this requires no explanation or reason. Problems are not hindrance to happiness, and similarly darkness should not perceived as something sad. Happiness itself requires nothing and so it only requires willingness to feel such. It does not require any experience of happiness or darkness to appreciate and attain happiness. Thus, darkness is part of reality that we cannot avoid, get rid or perceive as negative. It is real, independent of our judgment of whether it beneficial or not for us.

Darkness provides focus and peace.

In darkness, one does not see anything. One can imagine only the things in his or her thoughts. No distractions from any image that prevent us from focusing on our thoughts. Contrary to what we think, darkness allows us to confront our inner self. In darkness, we do not see anyone, except the awareness and consciousness that we exist. Allowing ourselves to immerse in total darkness must not induce anxiety for it provides us a medium to be in contact of ourselves. It is difficult to do this in the light, since the images we see contributes us to feel something based on what we see from our surroundings, rather than getting the source of the feeling from our within. The irony of darkness is that we do not see anything through sight, but we see things from within, which is not possible in the light.

Darkness must be appreciated.

Darkness reminds us that the beauty of light. That if there is darkness, there is lightness. However, this belief itself shows that we must only appreciate light, rather than appreciating both. Say for example, a person who lives in total darkness, the blind. They appreciate darkness for perhaps because they do not any choice, or because they truly appreciate it so. The existence of darkness must be appreciated. It is only us, who make the dark the symbol of something bad and loss. Without this learning and representation, we would not fear the dark or avoid. It. Maybe, we avoid darkness but we cannot totally get rid of it, as it exists in different forms, either darkness that exists outwardly and within ourselves as well. What we can do is appreciate and experience darkness the same way we do in the light.

Now, I am lying and writing this article in the midst of darkness. It feels strange to be in the dark. Never did I experience such in many years. It reminds me of many things. The hard and difficult times in the past makes me anxious. Darkness does not make me feel comfortable. I am hoping for light to come and I know it will. But now, my experience of darkness provides me the essence of darkness. Moreover, darkness also can lead us to happiness if remove our preconceived thoughts associated with it. It is an experience that must embrace wholeheartedly.