A while back I wrote a post: What Mind Movies Did You Watch Today? I asked the question: “I want a script with a happy ending. But how do I re-write the script to get one?” I’m a writer so I can imagine all sorts of endings for my thoughts that take over my mind on a daily basis. The fact is most of them — as I wrote about in the previous post — end with a winner and a loser — a hero and a villain — isn’t that the basis of all great stories? However, I want peace. And peace can only exist with the absence of conflict.
Writing new endings for my Mind Movies was still resulting in a conflict. At first, I tried to reason that as long as I was the hero or the winner — then I was at peace. Obviously, not. One can’t have a little bit of peace or a little conflict. It is one or the other. So I tried something else. It is a fact that light and dark can not coexist. So I turned my “dark” thoughts — my conflicted thoughts — into light.
Little balls of happy floating light to be exact. Whenever, I start to think of a conversation that irked me or how someone let me down or any annoyance no matter to what degree — in my mind — I imagine that person turning into a ball of light. There are no facial features to interpret — no body language that communicates — no words to argue with. How, indeed can one argue or be annoyed with a ball of light.
Eventually, I imagine this ball of light as happy and zinging around and soon I imagine myself doing the same.
If you think I’m nuts — think how often staring at the stars or the moon or a sunset — elevates your mood. Why do so many of us find joy in watching a fireworks display or staring into a campfire? Have you ever gasped at the beauty of a rainbow? Darkness is always dispelled by light. Try bringing some light to your imaginings and let me know if you feel lighter yourself.
Life in the City with a Future 
“Darkness is always dispelled by light”.
Sometimes we forget that even a candle (an unscented one 🙂 ) can overcome the darkness.
Your comment gave me chills. I had just watched a TED talk about a humanitarian aid worker who was held hostage and only allowed a candle to be lit for 15 minutes a day to dispel the otherwise total darkness he was in.
I will listen to that. It’s another subject but I just don’t understand how some people want to deliberately hurt another person.
It was a tough one to listen to but maybe those are the ones we most need to listen too.
Great idea!
Thanks. I can’t wait for the fireflies to come out. This year I’m going to try to imagine each little firefly as someone I’ve felt snarky to this year and hopefully I will be at peace with now. ❤
Should be soon. It’s 73 degrees here in Michigan today.
That’s about what we were today too. What a glorious day. If I ever sold my house I think I would miss the fireflies the most. They congregate in the trees behind my house and light up the trees like Christmas trees.