Fighting the Chaos and the Dark
“And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind
the same transcendent destiny; and not minors and invalids
in a protected corner, not cowards fleeing before a revolution,
but guides, redeemers and benefactors, obeying the Almighty
effort and advancing on Chaos and the Dark.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson – “Self Reliance” essay; page 33
Chaos and the Dark Happenings in this world sometimes lead us to question whether there is truly good all around us. The above quote from Emerson’s “Self Reliance” essay has a phrase that strikes me every time I read it: “…obeying the Almighty effort and advancing on Chaos and the Dark”. As we fight the “chaos and the dark”, setting a vision and intention to stand for truth, or good, or love or other higher ways of being in world where the “dark” sometimes shakes us to our core may be our best defense. As Emerson says, we are “not minors and invalids in a protected corner…but guides, redeemers and benefactors”.
What Can One Person Do? Someone recently said to me “I am only one person, what can I do”. He was asking the right question but not in the right frame of mind. His question meant he felt there was nothing he could do. Had he actually asked the question, “What CAN I do?” perhaps the answer would have come to him or been found for him. One person can make a difference. Historically one person has made a difference in all sorts of situations, times, and places. One person can make a difference in a family. One person deciding to say: “I love you”, in a family that never said that to each other could (and has) changed the entire dynamic of the family. I am sure, Dear Reader, that you have witnessed one person making a difference.
What Can I Do? By just living our lives with some higher intention, we can make a difference. Others may follow our example. We are not always able to change the past nor fix all of the ills and issues we see in the world. But we are able to do better within our own sphere of influence. We can be kinder, love more deeply, speak more honestly and walk more tenderly in the world. This may be enough to make a difference for both ourselves, and others. We can set an intention not to succumb to the “Chaos and the Dark” and instead be a beacon of light.