So often, I notice that people associate darkness with fear. Children want a night light in their bedrooms because they are afraid of the dark. Horror movies are marked by darkness. Even if a scene takes place in the daytime the light is muted. It takes some bravery to enter a dark room of an unfamiliar building without a flashlight.

Yet, I confess that when I encounter darkness, my experience is seldom that of fear. Darkness can also be an invitation to sit and be still. Darkness, giving way to a lit candle, can be a space in time when the interior sense is stirred and we become aware of what is unseen. I have encountered in the depth of my being the mysterious presence of God in dark, candle lit rooms.

Darkness is something we all are experiencing more of this time of year. Short days and long nights. Even the daytime sun is often blocked by a grey blanket of clouds. The lack of sunlight can cause many of us to become melancholy. Our bodies want to be more sedentary. Perhaps you are reading this reflection while wrapped in a warm blanket.

This season of darkness invites us to sit and be still, to light a candle or maybe a fire. We are invited to become aware of the unseen within and around us. In the stillness and quiet of darkness, when you allow yourself to be open to the mysterious Presence…who knows what might sneak up on you?