As beautiful as this last little bit of the hike has been, with the sun peaking its head out between the trees here and there, I see darkness between the tree lines. It made me reflect that it’s okay to head into the darkness. It showed me that as I walk through the beauty around me, I know what awaits in the darkness. I shouldn’t be afraid. What that brings up is that I’ve been in a ton of darkness, and I am not sure if I have ever allowed myself to see the positive of the suffering that has been endured. In some way or fashion, we all have had our onslaught of darkness and a steady variation of victories and defeats.
This teaches me that it’s okay not to be okay in the darkness. Many others have gone before and have walked through their variations of darkness and suffering and have either overcome or, as we’ve seen, admitted defeat and called it quits. It’s okay to be in darkness with others, sharing that suffering. As long as that suffering has purpose and meaning that ushers us through the darkness.
So another shell that I plan on taking away with me is that there can be good within or that comes from the darkness. Otherwise what is the point? The darkness may provide the stillness necessary to see the path to turn suffering into positive change.
Written by Chase Jurgersen, Army Veteran and HFV Alumni
