SHADOW: an area that direct light cannot reach due to some type of obstruction; darkness.
LIGHT: something that makes things visible or affords illumination; awareness, enlightenment.
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”
-Walt Whitman
“To contemplate is to look at shadows.”
-Victor Hugo
“Fear no shadows, least of all in that great spectre of personal unhappiness which binds half the world to orthodoxy.”
-Thomas Huxley
“Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow.”
-T.S. Eliot
shadows abound in our lives.
clouding out those brighter shining moments.
sunshine vs. shadows.
light vs. darkness.
here are a few of my current highlights, and their accompanying shadows:
1. plans to continue traveling the world ~ the endless wait for our property to sell.
2. temporary extended stay in my hometown ~ my mom no longer here to laugh with us.
3. transition to online business ~ saying goodbye to my in-person studio.
these shadows place me in the twilight zone of what i call “in-between-ness.”
good ~ bad.
high ~ low.
up ~ down.
are you sensing a theme here?
doesn’t there always seem to be a shadow?
an obstruction hovering over everything positive, everything right?
such is life.
you can’t escape the inevitable shade.
i’m correct, am i not?
but wait . . .
perhaps we should try to illuminate our way as best we can?
maybe we should live the life that we want to live.
and deal with the shadows as they are cast.
ignore, eliminate, lessen, work around, face straight on, push away the shadows.
what does it require?
insight. strength. persistence.
search. search your heart and your mind.
what makes you light up?
what makes you come alive?
dive in and discover what lifts you.
and also what brings you down.
then use this knowledge to fight back against the shadows that enter your life.
don’t let them overshadow and destroy you.
i have personally set out to identify, and then conquer mine.
figuring out the way through has led me to my new mantra:
from transitional to transformational.
we will always have shadows.
therefore, it is vital for our continued well-being to stay alert to their presence.
shine your light.
step out of your shadows.
now. you simply must share.
your own shadows, your own ways to overcome.
let me know in the comments – i’d love to hear your ideas.
Good morning April, I have been enjoying your studio notes! I had a rough week two weeks ago and have been playing it over and over in my head. After I read your “step out of the shadows” this morning I decided to write it all down so I could remember it, as it had a profound outcome to me. I thought I would share it with you (sent to your email). As I re-read it, I think to myself “Wow! Look how far I have come!” Thank you for all of your help and support you have provided on this journey!
well said and beautifully written observations, sheila (in your email). you have come so far in your journey, and the insights you have gained in the process are invaluable.
thank you so much for sharing with me. i’m delighted to see the growth you’ve shown – you are an inspiring woman.
(and hurrah for journaling! :))
On my walk yesterday, I was thinking about how ‘shadow’ tends to have a negative connotation, but ‘shade’ is often sought-after. Shade is created by sun-blocking things: a maple tree for your picnic in the park, a beach umbrella, a downtown skyscraper, a mountain valley at day’s end. Without shade there’s a hot, dry desert until the ultimate shade-maker, the setting sun, brings the cool shade of evening.
interesting and astute slant, jan. and i agree metaphorically – since a life with sunshine only is an impossibility, we must also welcome the shade. it tempers the light, and puts the bright spots in perspective. thank you for adding to the discussion.
I love this post April! It’s so timely for me. My shadow is that my mother-in-law recently passed and my love is out of the country for her funeral. So while he’s away, I’m the single mom to our baby girl. That’s the shadow. Not having the support nearby. But the light is that I have more time to myself in the evenings to do whatever I want. I get to work on my creative ideas, listen to inspiring audios out loud, and enjoy mother-daughter time. Love the quotes in your post as well! Beautiful 🙂
ah, jen . . . what a lovely example you’ve shared. thank you. so wonderful for you to be able to look beyond your current shadow and into the precious time you will spend alone and also with your sweet baby girl. (and my condolences to you and your family.)
I think we ‘escape’ the shadows by moving further towards the light. We must ask ourselves how can I change my thoughts and actions to move towards my sunshine. Thanks for sharing!
absolutely, caylie! i love the idea of reframing our thoughts in order to “move towards our sunshine.”
So beautifully poetic April! I love to shine the light of intuition on my ego’s thoughts so that I can see the nugget of truth more clearly!
what a gorgeous phrase: “to shine the light of intuition on my ego’s thoughts.” thank you so much for visiting and commenting, sabrina!
LOVE that “shine your light. step out of your shadows.” WOAH! Thanks for the great post!
thanks, gina. 🙂