This is what I love about the dark

Written on 20 October 2021.

This is what I love about the dark
[an attempt to unmask my fear]

Looking up to a sky full of stars

Being forced to slow down

Remembering that in the dark ground, seeds germinate

Trusting and knowing that after the darkest of night comes the break of dawn

Darkness invites rest, calls me to be still and to listen

Growth seems to take place in darkness, in the unseen moments

In the dark I’m given the chance to rely on my other senses: feeling the coolness of the air, listening for an owl’s screech, the scent of burning leaves, and the taste of hot tea

In the darkness someone else can come along to light a flame beside me and lead the way

At night in a manger, the light of the world was born

At early morning, in the dark of an empty tomb, death no longer had the final word

By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1: 78-79).

 **This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs. Click here to view the next post in the series "Unmaking Fears".