Big events are not the ones that usually send individuals into spiralling darkness. I find the mundane nobody paying any attention moments are critical. So much happens in this space. With each unthinking decision we tell ourselves about our priorities and values. In the ignored pieces of life, we are robbed of the stuff hope and energy is made of. Ignored moments combine to create a swirling spiral into silent and dark spaces.
Life reminds me that I usually do not realize I am slipping into darkness until I am already there. When I look back on the sequence and how I responded, there are no events or decisions that stand out. It is the little things that add up! It is the usual that consumes far more than one realizes. When I finally figure out why I am struggling to engage with my normal energy I know I am already in trouble. It feels like nothing can break the cycle. The only action that makes sense is vocalize a please to Hope; “Rescue me from the swamp, don’t let me go under for good, pull me out of the clutch of the enemy; this whirlpool is sucking me down.” (Psalm 69.14)
Recent events remind me that Divinity has left us with help that is always ready for help.
Beauty reaches out, willing us to see beyond the darkness and into the light. A gentle sunrise, an act of unexpected kindness, and word of compassion are examples that are within reach. Looking beyond, one finds the smile of a child along with nature’s grin in a flower. Beauty is here, reaching out to touch our lives.
Help is trying to make a difference. Just because I cannot see it or refuse to accept it, I should not think that it is not here. Being open to help gives permission for help to act.
Hope comes with the willingness to see possibilities. A child can gift us with hope. Friends can share hope. Hope comes and goes with our openness to seeing more.
Spirals can turn positive.
