BACKlikeWEneverLEFT

A piece of a verse from one of my favorite rappers Beanie Sigel from the song ‘Feel it in the air.’  Now given the diversity of the people reading this some of you probably sang along, others got the confused face as you continue forward.   Well stay with me for a second as I navigate through my thoughts and your minds.  Allow me to explain my madness, rap is my heart and everything in life can be depicted through music.  This song more so this portion captures a dark time for the rapper.   He is stuck in a room by himself, with nothing but his thoughts.  His thoughts are driving him crazy, got him thinking the worst and plotting something dangerous.  The voice in his head telling him ‘ to tighten up his circle’ or pay better attention to things in his life.  Very crucial mindset to have, where he basically discussing going through a dark phase in life.   A dark period is something we can all relate, which brings me to the reasons for this post.

Lately I have been witness to people being in a dark place and trying to figure out the next move.  As the avid followers of the site know, my co writer and I speak from experience.  Recently both of us as well as close friends have gone through dark hours, (some have last longer than others) but still not the best nonetheless.    It’s interesting having the different conversations with people when that moment of dark takes over.   Everybody goes through their dark time differently as well as people are in different stages of dark.   Picture night fall after work, it’s not as bad street lights may not be on yet, still some sun light, things are still visually manageable.   Fast forward a couple of hours later when the lights kick in and stores begin to close.  Lights are on because sunlight has left but still somewhat feasible.   Continue to later in the night when the dark has set in and visibility is minimal.   This is about the time when you try not to be out alone or go down paths you never previously traveled.  Last there is the dark right before the sun rises, that morning dark that let’s you know a new day is upon us.   Life tends to work in this same cycle matriculating through to next stage of dark/light.

The thing about that is, as people we tend to get caught up in the degree of dark that we are at currently.   Understandably so, because it’s easy to lose track of the light.  Lets take 8pm, a time when street lights are on in Baltimore.  (This would probably be the second phase of dark as mentioned earlier) A person without a watch has no clue it’s 8pm, they just know it’s dark.  Panic begins to set in and you question when in the sun coming back out.  For those overreacting people somebody may even question ‘is the sun EVER coming back?’  For those of you still with me, the question isn’t really about is the sun coming back, the real question is when is it returning?  We know the sun is coming back, but without a watch you have no idea when light will return.    Life works this same way,  when things get dark and stay dark too long you lose sight of the light.

Losing sight of the light is when all type of things take over like doubt, disparity, despair and others.   The dark hour lasts longer than you would like and your mind begins to play tricks on you.   Go back to my verse I quoted, that voice in the back of your mind telling you things.   Your vision becomes distorted, seeing things that weren’t there before or possibly seeing things more clearly.  The next move grows more critically to get you out of that dark time.  “What do I now, when will this end” which ever question you may ask further removes you from seeing the light when it rises.   I was in church with my co writer a couple weeks back and pastor made the statement THERE WILL BE LIGHT.  Simple yet so powerful at the time.

We tend to forget that as a people there will be light, not artificial street lights but actual sunlight.   I heard that message loud and clear, this dark hour won’t last forever.   Granted we never have any idea how long our hour(s) may last but we know it will all pass.    I think this is a great time to drop this post moving into a new year.   Whatever your dark journey is, is just that YOURS.   Not everybody can speak on what you’re going through and many may not even understand, however we can not stop believing things will get better.   Everything is a learning tool, become resourceful and grow from being in the dark.    When a storms hit and your electric goes  down what do you do?  You make it work, grab flashlights, light candles, using battery operate things.   Simple enough because you expect your power to come back on soon.   Well life gives you storms all the time and you can’t allow that to stop you from knowing light will return.

Its stages to this dark/light battle and sometimes storms last longer than expected or come at the worst of times.   A storm can wipe everything out, but you have to know there will be light after it all done.   Trust me as I write this and think of the dark hours people are in currently, I look forward to seeing the light shine through their prism.   On that note, I’m going make my exist.  I understand now no longer how long the dark lasts light will rise again.   I told y’all I come with gifts, dropping two in a day.   Catch up with y’all in 2014!!