...and there was Light..

Dear Reader,

Martin Luther King Jr is quoted as having said, 'Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.'

When I remember that my thoughts, opinions and parts of myself are out for as many people as who care to read them, I sometimes get a little anxious. I feel scared that I will say too much and appear a fool, or not say enough, rendering the writing and blogging experience, in addition to each individual post, moot. The whole exercise would be pointless if the latter were to be the case, and be counter-productive if not deleterious if the former proved to be true.

When I started writing, I am not sure now what the motivation was in its entirety, I do know that I wanted to connect with people, old and new; I wanted to debate; I wanted to share with those who perhaps feel or think as I do, but more importantly I think I wanted to share my hope and receive it too. I still want these things. This is not and was never a life story.

This is a dark world, one of sadness and pain; filled with greed and envy; characterised by riches and power; imbued with lust and sex; defined by violence and hate; all too familiar with adultery and despair. Evil flourishes, wrong deeds are rewarded, and good men are at best collateral damage and at worst they stay silent. Live long enough in the dark and you begin to identify with it, I dread to tell you that I identify.

Darkness only exists if light does too, there is Light and herein lies the hope. Light that exposes the darkness and hope for a better day.

I am learning that as individuals, 'We are not bound to win, whatever that means, but we should be bound to be true. We are not bound to succeed, but in all things we should be bound to the light that we have.'* And if we don't have any, it is our responsibility and to our eternal advantage that we seek it out, for it is better to be guided by the Light shed by one small candle than to attempt to navigate in its absence, and then curse the darkness for where you end up.

With no delusions of grandeur, I hope that my words echo the truth, that they will be a source of hope and that where it is sought and or needed, they will be a reminder of Light.

With Love
Lloyd


*Adapted from the words of Abe Lincoln
(Image courtesy of Hannah Wrong http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahwrong/4638491142/)