I've been thinking about the dark. Actually, I've been living in the dark. I read a quote once from a well-known poet that said, "I've been in every kind of night, so I am not afraid of darkness." That has me wondering.

I believe that we all face darkness on a regular basis. Not the normal sunseting-end-of-the-day type dark, but the overhanging clouds of past events, old issues, worry for the future darkness. The kind of darkness that is impossible to illuminate. The kind of darkness that causes people to descend into addictions or resort to old unhealthy ways of coping.

I want a way out. A bright path, a light source from beyond. It cannot be subtle-I am not in a place to recognize anything but a direct shining. It cannot be tiny-my eyesight is failing. It cannot be silent-I need to hear. It cannot be too long in coming-I need to respond.

So I have surrounded myself with the usual things that get me through the rough times: solitude, books, music, and I am waiting.

				Put your ear
				down close 
				to your soul
				and listen hard.	
					--Anne Sexton

Turn down the noise, get rid of the clutter. Spirit is talking, moving and listening, even when you do not sense her presence. Hopefully, that little feeling of unrest is the early morning clouds parting for the sunrise.