Light at the End of the Tunnel
The light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an illusion.
The tunnel is.
—Michael Rizk
The other night I woke up and started thinking about the Supreme Court and the direction of the country, which is not a particularly effective way to get back to sleep. Luckily, I was able to remind myself that I have no control over the Supreme Court or much of anything else that affects the country. So I thought of things I do have control over and moments of beauty and goodness in my life. That reduced my stress response enough that I could go back to sleep.
Believing there is a light at the end of the tunnel is saying that right now there is no other light. I’m in darkness, disappointment and discouragement. Eventually I’ll be out of this dark place, but it will be a slog because the light is so far away. That can be an encouraging way of looking at my current situation because at least there is hope in the future. Or I can believe that I am always surrounded by goodness, grace and abundance. No matter what is happening around me, I can be a source of joy, acceptance and generosity, and I can look for and see it in others.
When things are going well, it’s easy to remember or believe that. But when things get difficult or the world starts to feel especially chaotic, it becomes harder to see and live out. Reminding myself that I can be a little bit of light for others helps me to feel hope, kindness and caring as well. I can live in a tunnel and hope that tomorrow will be better, or I can choose to create light today by focusing on what I can do to make the world better.