In defense of negativity

No one likes negativity. But it's necessary. It's necessary to provide a foil against which to measure happiness. Necessary to preserve the balance. And there's a beauty in darkness, no use denying it. Negativity isn't to be sought or envied, just recognized as valid. It's more than an artifact of broken moods, an absence of goodness. Hindus called it Shiva, the Destroyer, and hold it in the same esteem as Brahma, the Preserver. Things have to die to be reborn. Rain must fall before the sun can break through.

My identity was forged in the land of the minus sign, and I've corralled comfort from the depths of darkness when others ran tail between legs. It's the struggle to find a way to live with this unruly roommate that I believe shapes our characters and allows us to reach for greater understanding, and deeper peace. Many of us are born very flexible or are forced to become street smart at an early age. Some of us are not, though, and learning that darkness is a part of life is a bitter pill to swallow. Certainly the lesson is a slow, painful one for me. As always, acceptance of what actually is, rather than what should be, is the first step in proceeding.