How dark must the black be before the blindness of the day’s light fades, and I open my eyes? Each day, I walk into the next, oblivious to life—one step closer to death. Only in the deepest sorrow and pain is hope found… is hope sought. How long will my cries go unanswered, unheard? Deep in this pit of despair, I long to taste sweet relief; deep in this pit, I drift into thoughts of the final chapter. My thoughts, my hopes, my will—they fade to black. Pain is all I know now, an old friend I’d long forgotten. My friend whispers sour nothings into my mind. Darkness engulfs me, stealing my words, my thoughts, my desire for light. I want to remember the light, but my mind’s eye is blinded by the pain.

As the blindness fades, my eyes adjust, and in this darkness, I see. I see what should have been, what could have been. I see how blind I was, walking in the light. I see the neglect I’ve shown to the one who comforts me, the one always waiting for me to open my eyes. Now, in absolute darkness, I see the light hidden by the day—the light once dwarfed by the bustle. The sounds of television, the noise of headlines, the bills, the cars, the sex—all left behind the veil of darkness. A glimmer of hope appears on my horizon; the candle flickers, so delicate and exposed. I feel the pull from the other side as the pain subsides, but the Comforter clings to me, pulling me into His bosom. My pain is calmed by His embrace, and my heart already begins to stray. My eyes are closing as each agony is lifted. He knows I will stray; He knows I will forget. He hugs me tightly and wipes my tears. In His arms, I am at peace. In His arms, my eyes begin to close.

I awake with the memory fresh in my mind as I walk into the light. The sun is so bright, the day so short. On this day, in the darkness of light, my vision will fade. I walk each day into the next, oblivious to life.