Stepping into the Light

There are moments when each of us has the choice to step into the light.

I used to think that this were only occasional moments - that if we missed them, they might not come again for months or years. However, what I have come to realize is that in fact they can be a weekly - or even daily occurrence.

There are two lights: there is the metaphysical light (the light of God, the knowledge of God, the grace and salvation of God) and the mental light within our minds.

(Well, technically there is a third light: physical light. That, I think, you've figured out for yourselves - or you've a lot of bruises from bumping into things.)

This mental light to which I'm referring (Metaphysical light is a long discussion for another day) could be classed as a number of things: self discovery, personal courage, even the simple act of greeting a stranger when you hate talking to anybody. To some extent, they will be different for each and every one of us. However, the concept is not: facing a challenge or a condition in which we have lived, will we choose to step out into the light and face it, or remain in the darkness and live in the shadows?

To step into the light can be painful. It can hurt the eyes; it does not give us a place to hide but instead makes us front and center of the challenge facing us. It exposes us as we are, not as we wish we would be.

But, as C.S. Lewis said, progress is only made into resisting material.

Because stepping into the light - daily facing the challenges we have rather than ignoring them - is the only way progress is made. There simply is no other. Certainly we can plan, set goals, read, ready ourselves in the privacy of our hidden personal closets. However, all of this activity is not a substitute for actual progress.

And the reality - at least for me - is that there are so many areas in which my life could improve (sometimes dramatically) that every day can be another opportunity to step into the light in some direction. Sometimes it can be big, like a dramatic decision to change careers; sometimes it can be simple, like being willing to confront someone over a simple error. But either way, they are both opportunities to make progress.

We should become so used to stepping into the light that every day as we head out that our mental sunglasses and sunblock should become part of our normal attire.