A friend shared a lovely story about the sun and the cave striking up a conversation, where the sun had trouble understanding what ‘dark’ was, and the cave didn’t get what ‘light and clear’ was. They decided to change places. The cave went to the sun and was amazed at the beauty, saying it was beyond wonderful. ‘Now come and see where I live’, said the cave to the sun. But when the sun went to the cave, it couldn’t see any difference, because it took its light along and even the darkest corner of the cave was illuminated by the sun’s presence!

This story has a simple, yet deep message for us to reflect on.

When we allow our lower instincts and fears to overcome us, we live in darkness like the cave. We lose perspective and clarity. If we recognise this and change our place, we may well find the light of clarity we are looking for, sometimes in something we read, in a friend, or when we actively seek advice.

But if we are constantly centred within like the sun, always aware of the joy and limitless potential that is our true nature, no matter what the situation, we carry the ability to find a way even in the darkest situation.

This story also makes us realise that darkness is nothing but the absence of light. We all go through our moments of being a cave where the weight of darkness overcomes us. But it will serve us well to realise that it is not the heaviness that is the problem, it is the absence of the light of optimism and positivity that is the real issue.

And when we find someone living with the heaviness and burden of life, and we find it in ourselves to reach out and help dispel their darkness, not only do we lighten their cave, we keep our own inner light aflame, protecting us from the dark corners of our own cave.

(Picture-Inside the Church of St.Eustache, Paris)