By Lois Hewitt

Last night I gazed at the moon. Light in the darkness. It was a sight to see.  As does often, my mind began to wonder and wander as well.

So much in life is not cut and dry, so to speak.  The moon’s light illuminated where there was darkness. Not as the sun illuminates but did so in its own way.

Bad happens in life. No one leaves this place unscathed.  But if you allow it, the bad can bring about good. Some lessons can only be taught by that which is not good.

Criticism is often painful. Not something we prefer to hear but through those words great growth can occur. No matter the intent from which it was given, but through the power you give the words to amass change.

Jesus came to this realm as a man to show the way of love and tolerance. He preached on how to live in a new way. 

Along His journey here on earth, there was much pain, loss, anger and the ultimate violence. He came to cleanse all of mankind and was met with the most horrific and violent deaths.

Last night’s moon made me see that the world is not one way or another. Many times we must experience the duplicity of life in order to grow within it.

Many times I only see what I see.  With no knowledge of what’s beyond my vision. I must learn to open my mind to the light in the darkness.  The bad in the good. And the love in the hate.

That opening of the mind and the heart allows the soul to take in more knowledge, more compassion and more love. But you need both ends of the spectrum.

Luckily, the story of Jesus does not end with a death. The story goes on to glory as the badly beaten Jesus rises from the darkness of the tomb to be the light, a light that is so bright it will dull the sun, that shines over the whole world with the gift of forgiveness and salvation.

As Jesus lived in love and peace, He also came to shake things up.  To shine His light in the darkness.  Oh to live more like Him, that is the goal I aspire to.