Light vs. Dark
Today, I have the great pleasure of introducing guest blogger, Eliza Fayle who believes all women over forty are fun, intelligent, sexy, and real. (A concept it took me almost fifty years to realize!)
Through Silver & Grace, as a magazine editor, jewelry designer, and intuitive mentor, she guides women as they shine the light on all four of these qualities. You can find her at silverandgrace.com and while there, be sure to join the Silver & Grace Community by signing up for the newsletter. I highly recommend visiting and joining the Silver & Grace community.
I am really not keen on winter. Not keen at all. This is particularly challenging, because in my section of Canada, the snow and cold can move in the beginning of November and not leave until the end of March. That is five whole months! Blech.
However, I love the concept of winter.
I am a firm believer that without darkness there is no light. I love stories that demonstrate this concept, and my favourite comes from a brilliant, albeit short run, animated TV series called God, The Devil, and Bob.
The premise of the show is that poor Bob, an ordinary human, is caught up in a bet between God and the Devil. In my favourite episode, God forgets to acknowledge the Devil's birthday. The Devil is upset by this slight and retreats to Hell. He takes up painting and invites Martha Stewart in to decorate. And he's not coming out!
Meanwhile, up on Earth, humans are wandering around haplessly. There is no strife or challenges in their life. All the good things completely lose their meaning, because there is nothing to compare them to. Worse yet, everything stagnates. No new ideas are generated and spiritual and personal growth comes to a standstill.
God becomes frantic and begs Bob to get the Devil back in action. Meanwhile, the Devil has become melancholy and no longer enamored with painting and Martha Stewart's frilly curtains and perfectly arranged centerpieces. Easy sell for Bob, the Devil goes back to work, and balance is restored on Earth.
Okay, a totally silly example, but to summarize:
- Light forgets to acknowledge the importance of Darkness
- Darkness ceases to exist and the world is thrown out of balance
- Light and Darkness recognize they need to work together
- Balance is restored
Both my garden and I need Light and Darkness to be balanced.
The literal winter gives my plants a rest. It also kills some non-hardy ones off. The plants that are reborn in the spring were meant to be in my garden. Those that die off are not.
My periods of figurative winter give me a much-needed rest from the frantic go-go-go of creativity. As I come out of these periods, ideas are reborn into something new and wonderful, and I put effort into them. Other ideas are killed off, which simply means they are not worth my time and energy.
I have greatly enjoyed my recent period of figurative winter. I took the time to kill off some ideas that are no longer my focus. I also created some wonderful new ones. Now I am ready to shine light on them and help them grow.
As for literal winter, well, let's just say it is time to restore some balance. Both my gardens are more than ready for spring.
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Comments
We all need to put aside things to make room for the more important and meaningful items. This is true for the entire world, which would stop all the strife around us!
Agreed. If we all acknowledged that we should embrace differences what an incredibly balanced world we would have!
Thanks!
Margo
http://margodill.com/blog/
Your writing is lovely. And I do agree with your points to a certain extent. I am a firm believer in compromise to create balance and equilibrium. Extremes in nature as well as in human dealings are never really a good thing. People expose themselves to extreme thinking in politics and religious beliefs, extreme treatment to physical and emotional ailments, etc. However, spring and winter don't seem to be polar opposites to me. Spring, like fall, is a transitional time between winter and summer. Here in Maine atleast, it is often gray and rainy and things begin to get ready to grow but summer is when things really come to life. Perhaps it's just semantics. I do understand and agree with your point. Acknowledging the darkness of winter makes us appreciate the light of our "light season." We can't truly have one without the other. I enjoy that message. Thanks for sharing.
I have stayed quite wanting to see what everyone else would say on this part of our trip through creativity.
I so agree with Eliza. For me there is both Light and Dark in the process of my writing. Some days are filled with light and the words flow. Other days are dark and cloudy with nothing to offer.
In my old age, I have learned that both are necessary. I know honor those cloudy, dark days, allowing myself time to renew, rejuvenate and re-create.
I have to say, that when winter comes, I love it, at first, by March I am done with it. I want, I crave, I need spring! The past two days have been glorious...warm winds, sunshine, Mother Earth showing herself once again with little buds pushing out of the ground. Amazingly, I am happy, excited, and full of ideas to create.
Ah, Spring!
Stephen King is one of my favorite authors. He uses a lot of humor in his horror. Humor works well because it gives a reader a false sense of security just before King introduces a new horrifying plot point.
I think brilliant writers are ones who can make us look at our own human foibles and get us to seriously lighten up on ourselves through the use of humour.
Thank you so much for inviting me to participate here. You have an awesome community.
Thank you for being part of my look at creativity. As always, your wisdom and grace shines through your writing. Thank you for your gracious comments.
Happy Spring!!
@Mich...Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I with you, bring on spring! I am about darkened out! Hugs!
@Junebug...Thanks for your comments. Glad you found some "light" here. As it is with light of any type, one little spark and soon the whole place is glowing! Your comment added to the Light of my day!!