It was probably a week ago when I was in the lobby of my apartment complex for a meditation class. For those of you who aren’t meditators, I describe meditation as a form of prayer. One of the gentlemen in the lobby was Christan. Another gentleman was an ex-pastor. And then there was me. It almost sounds like a set-up to a joke.
Anyway, both of them were introspective sorts. The ex-pastor was an older gentleman who had had had Gullain Barre, a couple of years ago. Even when he was a pastor, he had studied other religious systems like Hindu and Buddahism. The other gentleman had studied mainly Jesus Christ.
The one thing that startled me about both of them was that they had a real aversion to the night because it represented darkness.
I asked, “What about the stars and the moon. Aren’t they light. Doesn’t the moon reflect the light of the sun?”
The Christian gentlemen, nice in every way and very good to talk to, was not buying that argument. It was darkness— plan and simple. We were to go into the light.
I do love the sun and the sunshine. I do love the animals that brave this bright light. But, there is a whole world at night. There are animals that are mainly nocturnal. Owls are one of those creatures that I love to watch at night.
When I was in Carson City, my late-hubby and I had gone to Minden, NV for an Amatuer Radio meeting in one of the churches there. When we walked into the night, we could hear owls in the trees. The hooted at us and I hooted back.
We had a glorious conversation until one of the owls flew past us. I swear that it’s wing span was over three feet long. In some cultures owls are omens of death. I have been on the edge of death for so many years that owls are more like messengers and even friends. When I left Carson City after the death of my husband, the owls would show up to my window in Boulder City.
I have listened to the cougars scream in the darkness. That is a chilling sound as they hunt for food. In my experience there is as much life in the night and in the day.
There is nothing inherently evil about the night and the night sky. There is nothing inherently evil about darkness. The darkness comes from the evil in men’s hearts so if you are looking for that type of darkness — look inside people.
I do miss my night walks. Since I started home dialysis at night, I am connected to a machine with tubing and a catheter. The farthest I can go is to my bed, my bathroom, and to my front door.
Sometimes I look out the window and watch the moon. I look for the stars, but the city lights drown them out.
I keep the memory of the night in my heart.