Light in the Darkness
Finding the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel” can be difficult when we are surrounded by darkness. “Darkness” in this context can be defined not only in the literal sense of shorter days and colder temperatures, but also the sadness and evil that often surrounds us.
It’s been a rough few months for me and many people I know, especially those who have lost loved ones. Our community (and this paper) recently lost a beloved member, Garry Spotowski, so suddenly and unexpectedly.
I write this in the wake of a violent event on September 30 which affected much of the area, forcing people to stay in their homes while a suspect was pursued by police. Just the next day, the news resonated with a mass shooting in Las Vegas with victims that included people from Alberta.
At the vigil held on October 1 at City Hall following the Edmonton incident, one of the speakers quoted Martin Luther King Jr.: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Love is light. Love brings people together. Hate divides. I, like others, began to witness some very hateful sentiments expressed on social media after the suspect in Edmonton was caught. I also saw posts expressing unity, hope, and love.
When we hold on to love, our departed friends and family are still with us. We work towards solving the issues that underly hatred and violence. And, we become a part of the light that brightens the darkness.