damp wood resists light

"And then Garion perceived yet another truth, a truth at once enormously simple and at the same time so profound that the scope of it shook every fiber of his being. There was son such thing as darkness! What seemed so vast and overwhelming was nothing more than the absence of light. So long as the Child of Light kept that firmly in mind, the Child of Dark could never win." – p.27 King of the Murgos: Book Two of the Malloreon by Eavid Eddings

Oh my… how that thinking could change the world. It is worth wondering. There are only sources for light. I can point to where light comes from. I am unable to point to a source for dark. Dark just is when light lacks.

I do understand the concepts of evil, pain and even sin. The assumption is that darkness can and should be fought. If we want to rid the world of evil and dark, we must fight it, sub due it, even win over it. Yes, I have seen Star Wars and know about the dark side. (“May the force be with you.” I still love them all.) But how do you battle something that has no source? What if it is not about a battle at all? What if the answer lies not in acts and attitudes of conquering, but instead the lighting of lights! How can we fight something that has no source?

So, “All we need is love?” It does sound too simplistic. Feed the poor, do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God? Proclaim the good news? Maybe all the ills of the world, the dark side, would just go away with a bit more love? We need to help build more assets? (Thank you Search Institute)

So maybe lighting lights is not all that easy? I did just try to light my back yard fire with wet wood. It resisted being lit for quit a long time. (Still seems to be more of a smolder than a dancing gleeful fire.) Maybe dark cannot be conquered into light, but maybe it does resist. You cannot light something that does not want to be lit.

Okay, I’m not the first to ponder this. But as for me, I’ll keep assuming a positive lighting and brightening is more effective than the energy of anger attacking or building walls for defending. Sounds a bit rosy. I know I still have my days when my wood seems a bit damp.

????