Pushing Back the Darkness

Babes emerge into the world when they kick back the darkness of the womb. Holler back.

(Babe is one of my favorite nicknames, seconded by “baby girl.")

The concept of pushing back the darkness is one that a friend and I have practiced since last year. Like babies plunging from the dark womb into the unknown light world, it’s about diving into our fears and going beyond them. Simple examples include: she took a bike ride further than she ever thought she could go, and I went swimming in a river by myself.

She thought her body had a limit at a certain amount of miles because she never went past that mark. And I thought a giant snapping turtle would bite my leg off when no one else was around to watch me swim… eventually some scuba divers came to the park river and kept me company—they totally scared those snappers away.

Fear. Pushing back the darkness is about being not afraid –Pope John Paul II’s mantra, which he got from Jesus himself. Be Not Afraid!

I called a friend today and she’s pregnant with her sixth babe. She’s totally at peace. Every time she wants to get scared, she feels the Blessed Mother saying, You’re totally not afraid. That's trust in a Mother, who's a pro at pushing back the darkness.

So the little 8-weeker is in my friend’s womb, clinging onto life, has a heartbeat and his bum is pointed straight up – I thought, what if abortionists saw babies mooning them when they looked at ultrasounds? I wonder if that would change their perception.

Today a lot of Americans think about the darkness of abortion on the anniversary of its legalization in our country.

How are we supposed to fight that darkness? Keep the pain inside? Suppress the wounds? Put on a mask and pretend like we don’t kill 3,000 babies a day? Condemn all the people involved in the "culture of death?"

No.

Politics, information, and healing are important, necessary and essential. People also need the real light of compassionate genuine one-on-one love.

The fact that abortion is so prevalent means that the notion that it’s OK to kill people has seeped into our culture. The darkness here is fear, anger, shame, loneliness -- evil. "Unloved" is a lie and it kills people. 

But “killing” people is more than just abortion. People are killed when they are used: sexually, for material or personal gain, when they are cut down so others can get ahead, when they are insulted by people with different ideas, who create “in” groups and leper colonies. This is the destruction of humanity.

On the other hand, we push back the darkness when we look people in the eye and listen to their stories. When we can take risks to do things outside our comfort zones with people who have different views than us –politically, religiously, ethnically -- and I don't think "globalization" means we have to have one mind, philosophy, color, creed and culture. Humanity is great is its diversity, in its creativity.

Zumba class, which unites an diverse and creative bunch of inter-generational women is an excellent example of this genius. We all get down in our own way and have fun. I appreciate the mixed-culture, upbeat music, and the smiles the varied moves bring to these ladies' faces.

Pushing back the darkness requires sweat and getting my hands dirty. 

The same woman who took an extra-long bike ride used to be a farmer. I was a bit worried about our basil (or was it parsley?) plant that we planted near the kitchen door for easy access with cooking. She assured me, “Plants just want to live.”

People just want to live too! 

Pushing back the darkness means living without fear which makes one more human and able to love.

Pushing back the darkness also means praying and looking for the light. 

It was the coldest day of the year and school Morning Prayer intentions were under way: sick people, soldiers, people affected by natural disasters, etc. The announcement was made that it’s too cold to go outside for recess. Inspired, one of my first graders added her prayer, “I’d like to pray that there are no wind fights.”

And that makes me more alive. 

Romance pushes back the darkness too, even if it scares the **** out of me.

Recently my man friend said I need to laugh at the darkness and be joyful. He also told me that if I go to sleep laughing out loud I will more than likely wake up with a smile on my face. It totally works.

Thank you God for light in the midst of darkness. Thank you God for the gift of life.