Light and shadows are all around each of us during the day. Sometimes the light comes from the sunshine and other times the light comes from what we create.

 

To start, which comes first?  Is it the light or the shadow? 

 

I say it is the light.

The light is bright, as I look over the fence and into the bushes seen here.

Do you see the light that bounces off the blooming fall foliage, small rock chips and that bit of red dirt in the background?

Light is everywhere.

 

Yet it is the shadow that grabs my attention as it adds depth and a different level of dimension to what I am looking at. 

 

That depth and dimension is the part of life that pulls me in.  It has been for some time now. 

 

I found this to be the case years ago.   

The Book

First, when I was about 10 years old and read a book about a room made of windows. 

 

I always loved reading and this book gave me a new way to look up and imagine light flowing in with such brightness that I could be in sunshine all day.

 

I also could imagine the corners of the room that held a few random shadows.  What is in there?  That added to my curiosity and is when I could add more to the story. 

 

Aaahh.  What a great thing to dream about. I loved this dream and have kept it tucked into my heart.  

 

Next came a part of life as we moved into a new home and the light was coming into windows at every angle all day long. 

Big. Bold. Beautiful light.  It bounced off windows from our neighbor’s houses and shone even more brightly into our home. 

 

Sounds like a room made of windows?  Perhaps.  

Stop the Light

Here’s the thing.  We needed to stop some of that light during part of the day.  

 

A few shadows were needed.  Imagine that! 

So shadows were created with paint and window coverings put up to reduce the light. 

 

There ya go.  Shadows. 

 

Too much light can be, well, too much for some folks.  

 

There are a few reasons for this.  

Our son had seizures that were sometimes triggered by a sudden change in light so we needed to keep the brightest light low and even throughout the house. 

 

I also have been one of those people at times. 

 

Here is one of the reasons.  

 

There are times when light bouncing off other light sources is, simply put, beyond bright.  

When the light becomes 10 times brighter and there is only time to squint before closing even more window coverings or needing to shield my eyes with my hand to be able to see for a moment. 

 

We’re off! 

 

Now, what am I supposed to do with this? 

Deal with it being too sunshiny? Keep my hands up to shield from too much light every time the sun moves across the sky? 

 

I will tell you what we did. We punted.  Shadows were added for both our son and for me. 

 

We all adapted and life as we knew it continued.  

Much the same as today. 

 

The decision today is this.  Do we look for the light and let the shadows add depth?  Is the dimension needed every time?  

 

Yes and yes.  Again, the answer for me is yes. 

Choosing

The light for me is a choice.  There are days when I choose to look up at the top of the bush and follow the line of light to see where it will take me. 

 

Allowing my gaze to travel as it will into all levels of light, in and out of the windows as my sight is pulled along.  

Beauty at every point. 

 

Choosing also to see the deep shadows gives each moment a view, angle or perspective that would not be there otherwise and is also a way to see amazing beauty. 

 

Sometimes I put on my sunglasses and choose the shadows all day. 

I do. 

I like the depth and perspective I gain here.

 

Here is one more piece of truth.  

 

Each of us gets to decide what is going to work for us.

Being able to know what is needed on any given day is the fun and the joy. 

 

M’hm.. How sweetly grand is that? 

What do you choose? 

 

Join me for a bit of light and shadow, my friend.  There is brightness and depth here for all of us.