October 27, 2005

Light....or no light (as is the situation now)

I am sitting in my apartment right now, eating what is perhaps the best mandarin I have ever eaten (fruit here is 10 times better than the United States) and I am thanking God for light. Electricity here is as reliable as the Canadian Post Office! (For you Americans it would be like as reliable as a dead horse...you get the idea) Things change when the lights go off. This is what I realized tonight;

"I write this by the light of a single candle that is illuminating my living room in my apartment. It is incredible how much of life depends on light. The spiritual parallels are innumerable. Life slows down, or so it seems, when the power goes out. Maybe that is because we take light forgranted and it is only then that we appreciate and understand its value and importance. One dim light in a dark room is more important than one bright spotlight in a city of lights. One dim light in a dark room is being used to its full potential. One dim light in a dark room makes a difference, even if it doesn't light up the entire room.
Light also brings comfort. I believe that no one truly enjoys and loves the darkness. Some may say they do, but there is no comfort. When my lights went out, my first instinctive response was to go light a candle. Why....predominantly for comfort. We don't like what we can not see. The unknown is not comfortable. Sure it is an adventure and it is challenging, but isn't one of our goals in the adventure is to shed light upon the unknown or to act out the part light plays. To discover is like being light (in a way) This candle brings comfort, not because it is a candle but because of its effect."

When there is one light, it seems to bring things into perspective and simplify things.

1 comment:

His Beloved said...

Hey Josh!
I had a power outage experience on Wed. night. We got our first snow storm here in Presque Isle. It was not enjoyable as I only have one small flashlight and no matches to light my candle!
Sorry about your cell phone, but I love hearing about your adventures!
-Amy