Day 69 - July 22, 2010 - A Light in Dark Places

"May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out."
— J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring)

I love contrasts. I think they are beautiful. You know, the kind of contrasts that define one another. Without hot, we wouldn't know what cold was. Without high, what would low be? If we weren't sad sometimes, would happiness be so special? No contrast is so beautiful as the difference between light and dark. Light is the absence of darkness and darkness is the absence of light.

We tend to associate darkness with evil and light with goodness. I don't think that is always an adequate way of looking at light and dark. They are different. Light allows us to see, but darkness forces us to use our senses. I can't say that I like one more than the other, really.

I was never afraid of the dark as a child; only of what I couldn't see. I suppose that is the root of everyone's "fear of the dark." We are frightened because we can't see what is around us or what is coming. But what is there to fear beyond this? What about our senses? We can still hear and feel. There is always a way to find our way around in the dark.

These lanterns are on our patio. They are a nice contrast against the night sky; like fireflies or stars. Well, maybe not quite as nice as fireflies and stars... but still nice. =)