A Study In Shadows

The photograph before me--a study in shadows--arrests my attention. In it, morning sun floods a row of square posts obliquely, brightly illuminating only their leading edges. Darkness shrouds their opposing sides. But for the intense shadows, the picture's bold and striking personality would be neutralized.

Properly married, sunshine and shadow stamp realism and texture into otherwise "flat" scenes. Now, shadow-friendly effects steer my own feeble attempts to produce good pictures.

But despite the character shadows paint into pictures, real life abhors them. The fear of shadows even has its own name: sciophobia. In the mind, shadows bode evil, impending doom or danger. To live without them is impossible. But to embrace life, shadows and all, is a blessing.

The frightful shadow of cancer now darkens a younger friend's path. But seeing it reminds him that a light is shining somewhere nearby. And he seeks that Light: "I'm praying that God will heal me." Helen Keller, who ever lived in a world of darkness and never saw a shadow, observed, "Turn your face to the sunshine and all shadows fall behind."

Seeing the sun setting on my years of child rearing once reminded me of the urgency of the hour: "Though in the rays of dawn I first started, day is now waning as shadows fall dark. While light remains this vision compels me: eternal treasure in home and in hearth." Lengthening shadows portend the coming end of opportunity.

Shadows (according to J.R.R. Tolkien) can sometimes conceal the light that will dispel them. "From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king."

In a recent article for the Washington Post, noted novelist Frank Schaeffer described the enlightenment that sprang from the shadow of his son's enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps: "Before my son became a Marine, I never thought much about who was defending me. Now when I read of the war on terrorism or the coming conflict in Iraq, it cuts to my heart."

Thus my head understands what my heart constantly struggles to accept: shadows are a natural part of life and need not cause discouragement. Sometimes Heart will whisper dark and shadowy thoughts: "What about the terrible choices you made? What about the dreams you had that will never be? What about strained relationships and physical infirmities you can't shake loose? What about sickness and death and…."

Then Head reminds me (from the Bible, Psalm 23:4) of the light that must surely be nearby. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

The world of shadows need not be fearsome if God is with us.

Copyright 2002 James McAlister

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