Darkness...

Darkness begins with the absence of light, the finality of death, the realism of grief and sorrow in the passing of a cherished love one, the frailty of the human heart to rejection, abuse, torment and terror...until love comes in to shine a light, banishing the dark back to hide under the proverbial rock.

Oh, the darkness encroaches as night approaches, as those quiet times allow grief to make an appearance...it is here we meet sorrow with compassion, here we meet trauma with kindness and empathy, allowing room for it to come in like a flood to wash the spirit clean.

Tears fall...knees quake and tremble...until the storm passes, however long that takes for each one, and we pick ourselves back up to face another day...a new day with new adventures awaiting our footsteps, our minds engaging with pleasure of that bracing dip in the lake on a semi-hot day, with that first kiss after a long absence, with the forest in all its glory surrounding you as you hike an unfamiliar trail....

Adventures await my friends...life lived well awaits...let us truly live, truly love and be cognizant of every little beauty enveloping our little slice of this planet amongst the gazillion stars and one hundred billion galaxies in our known universe.

Today is a day to rejoice...no matter the pain or sorrow we may carry round our shoulders...the joy and laughter we feel eases the suffering...the love we are given and give out alleviate and obliterate the despair hanging about our necks....

May God bless your days and comfort your nights with peace, with joy, with compassion and grace.