What Lurks Beneath
We are taught from an early age to not get too familiar with the dark; the dark is not to be feared, but respected. You can't see what lurks in the darkness and must rely on other senses. In the dark is where you find your answers. If you spark a light, you can see what you are looking for but that is too easy.....because if you never look, you choose what feels the safest. A well lit path will drown out the darkness and you will never truly see what is out there. Safe answers that are blindly accepted never change anything. To travel the path less taken requires courage.
If you go through life and listen to the majority, you lose control of yourself. The truth is out there but you have to be fearless and keep an open mind. If everyone chose the same path in life, those rare treasures would never be found. Who wants to follow in the path of the ones who have already covered that same path? Why put your feet into someone else's footsteps? Do you expect the outcome to be the different? Dare to veer off and search because in the end, if you find nothing new, the old path is right there. A well traveled path may seem safe and less of a risk but there could be more of a reward by a small detour. This is how lessons are learned. Never take any one's word for it, even if it makes sense. Ask yourself WHY it makes sense and don't be afraid to question things. You can never rule something out if you do not oppose it, even if it is just out of curiosity. No one individual holds every answer but collectively many truths can be discovered but you have to dare to be different, even if you are wrong. There is no shame in being wrong but there is shame in never thinking for oneself.
If you are only prepared to see what you have been told, that is what you will see. Wipe the slate clean but store all information for future use. Never disregard anything until you can make the leap to a more logical conclusion. Without darkness, we can't appreciate light; with too much light, we are blinded and can only see what is put in front of us. The key is to explore.
The path above is dark but has already been cleared. Walk this path, drink in the knowledge of what you can see. It's not the most well lit path, but it has been traveled. Ahead you can see a dark opening but you know not where it will lead you so you have to stay true to yourself and trust your instincts. There is no point of no return unless you choose that. Often, a walk into the unknown is too scary for some but think how rewarding it will be to know what is on the other side instead of taking some one's word for it. There are no signs to lead you so you must draw from all of your senses. Breathe deep and inhale. Is the air pungent? There are always warning signs but you have to be aware. Perception is often just a stumbling block to reason. Don't buy into anything without a thorough consideration of the opposition. We can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. Just because you use these senses does not mean you must swallow and digest....it merely means you are using your own judgements and logical deductions.
This is my favorite symbolic uncleared path of life. What is hidden behind the trees that may cloud our view? What lurks beneath the scattering of leaves, akin to information? What gem can you find in this vast arena of unchartered territory? Be a trailblazer, think on your own. Don't subscribe to the "norm." Never rule out someone else's theories or thoughts but leave your mind open. "Leave my mind open to the dark?" you may ask yourself. No, just accept that life is full of ups and downs, the light will come but to get to the light one must traverse the darkness. Darkness does not equal evil even though it is portrayed this way. The dark is symbolic to rest; it is calming. Many "evil" deeds are done in the dark, people hide because they want no one to see them or know their thoughts....but this is a society stigma placed on darkness. Even if you build a fortress in the dark to hide, once the light shines, it is revealed for what it is....it is all in perception or interpretation.
Don't become ungrounded. Roots are important because without them the life they support will die. Things must be enriched in a strong foundation to survive, just like the truth. A lie will always be disproven in some form and un-watered life or thoughts will wilt and begin to die. Trees and plants, just as thoughts, can be re-rooted into a richer soil for growth. Growth will depend on looking or the best or richest soil. If you don't look for it, you never know if you are letting your roots seep deeper into a foundation that can never be supported, no matter how much light or water or fertilize you use. Know what is beneath the surface. Is there loose bits of sand or a rich soil that can uphold a storm? Is there an ample supply of just the right balance of water and light to nurture or will one destroy or cancel out the other? Life, just like thoughts or beliefs, cannot flourish without balance. Too much of anything can spoil even the most hybrid and versatile. Dig deep and know what you are putting your faith or time and energy into before you commit to something that will never last.
I like this quote because we don't have this option. We can't get the things we fear out of the way first; we cannot know there is a brighter tomorrow because the choices we make today can and will affect us on down the road. If life was in reverse, we could make the mistake, but know the happier times are to come. Since we do not have this luxury, it is best to search, to dig, to explore and make the best choice we can by the things we research. Even then, we will always make a wrong turn or a mistake and sometimes these mistakes are costly and cannot be resurrected. Some bridges will be burned, but that is life. It is the hand we are dealt at birth. We must go into this life willing to search for love, truth, balance, and the hidden gems that make it worthwhile. We can't be afraid to enter the dark or stray from a well trodden path. Courage and and open mind can lead to happiness but you can't let fear guide your every step. Progression has never started with following the same path but by veering off and exploring what may seem to be a dark or sinister path, when in fact, what we search for is there but sometimes, merely hidden.
Nothing Ventured.....Nothing Gained
