"We cast a shadow on something wherever we stand, and it is no good moving from place to place because the shadow always follows. Choose a place - yes, choose a place and stand in it for all you are worth, facing the sunshine."
Shadows often reflect life ~
At times, lived in the sunshine and sometimes long periods lived in the shadows. It's hard not to get stuck under the umbrella of a 'shadow' period and sometimes to allow them to cloud our outlook on everything going on around us, often missing the sunshine moments that exist despite the shadows. We tend to forget that wherever a shadow exists, a glimpse of sunshine can always be found, in fact a shadow cannot exist without sunshine.
Sometimes we cast our own shadows. Depending on the time of day shadows can appear in front of us or behind us, appear small or very large , they can even appear to be dual in nature. They attach themselves to our feet, will not let go and move along in step with us as we go on our way. They shift from front to back, side to side, depending on the direction we're moving in.
I've cast some deep shadows into my own life and it catches me off-guard whenever they show up, always uninvited, to attach themselves to my life,cling to my memories, and unsettle my peacefulness once again. Shadows of the past are some of the most difficult to bring into the sunshine. Sometimes I find myself involuntarily living in a shadow created by someone or something other than myself.
I have discovered that my life is a never ending continuum of shadows and sunshine and all these moments are best lived in perspective.
Shadows do not exist without purpose. We seek them out to feel some reprieve from heat and fatigue, they force us to adjust our sight as our eyes respond to the dimness in light, they help us determine the direction we're moving in. We can see things in the shadows that might otherwise be missed. Sometimes you can move yourself out from the cover of a shadow but sometimes it's beneficial to just to linger in it until the sunshine moves it away from us.
I've come to realize (and appreciate) that there can be no sunshine without shadows and there can be no shadows without sunshine .... it's a perfect, albeit delicate balance and I can learn to benefit from both.
All too often, I must remind myself that there is opportunity to learn from shadow moments and will find it necessary to re-position myself to catch glimpses of sunshine that are present ...... they're always close by, always waiting to be found.
Sometimes, the very best place to be is in the shadow and just remain there for a while ~ "Keep me as the apple of your eye, hide me in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 17:8)
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