Nothing is Darker Than Midnight and It Lasts Forever

"IT LIGHTS ME UP!" My teenage son shouts as he jumps in the car for his soccer practice. "What's that?" I ask, confused. "Nothing is darker than darkness."

He's right. I was puzzled when he explained it. It does indeed sound dark. But that was before he rattled off the numbers and added, "and it lasts all night and it's always darkest before dawn." Then he started telling me about the old television series B movies where he and his friends would play night games--dungeons, if you will.

Now it gets better. "So we played the game last night," he said, pointing at the ceiling. "And it was so dark. But I think I remember seeing a lot of ghost faces. Something very scary."

I can't tell you what possessed him. Maybe he was born with a sixth sense. But I do know this much: Whatever it was, he wanted to keep it. This very same night, I get up and watch nothing on TV. That alone, I'm grateful for.
It has been something else. Last week, at work, I listen to a talk radio show where the host addresses the listeners. The caller asks about a recent aerial accident in Texas. He seems scared to be flying again. What happened? Did anything happen to him?

Yes, something did. Apparently a small plane had clipped a light pole and there was debris from the crash flying everywhere. Nobody was hurt, but it scared him. It was dark then, so I stayed home. But when I went to look for him later, it was too late.

It was heartbreaking. I am so thankful to have had that extra period of darkness to comfort me. It is a very powerful tool. You just have to tap into it. And when you do, nothing will scare you.
That was a story of two friends who loved airplanes. It is important to have an occasional interruption to take a break. That helps a person reduce stress. And that is what helps us deal with the Nothing is Darker than Midnight and it lasts forever.

So, try to be busy and have fun. Do things with your family. Go out to dinner with friends. If you are stressed or you don't feel good, put on some relaxing music and get in a quiet place to read a good book or go on the internet for some peace and quiet.

When you're doing things, if something happens to distract you, just stop for a second. Something may trigger that dark side. But when you come back, it won't fester. You can come back stronger. Try to be aware. Pay attention to the things around you.

The other day I noticed that my cat was sleeping in a strange way. He was laying on his back, head right up, and his eyes were open. He looked kind of pale. His ears were droopy and his tail was standing on end. He was coiled. That is one of the signs of a bad night's sleep.

If you have had a rough night's sleep, nothing will make it worse. If you're getting coiled like a snake, trying to find some escapes from whatever's bothering you, then there is nothing to get out of. You will never get rid of it. Try to remember that the next time you're sleepless.

Nothing is darker than midnight and it lasts forever. It comes and goes. We all have experienced darkness. It is part of life. However, when it comes at the expense of sleep, our bodies react and we feel sickness.