Shadows

It’s odd, perhaps, to a certain extent, even ironic, that we spend so much of our, yes, adult lives, living in the shadow of others.

We get so comfortable in the shadows of others, that we lose our own identity and sense of self-worth and value.

Someone else’s shadow become our reality.

In a way, we become a shadow version of ourselves, which of course, is not our real, true-blue self.

Shadows, simply, are nothing more than the absence of light, produced by something, big or small, coming between the rays of light and the surface.

What stands in your way?

Sometimes the big personalities, in life, we venerate, often unknowingly, cast such a grande and long shadow, that this very shadow absorbs us into the darkness.

And we never really feel the light on our faces.

In photography, we call this, the “core shadow”, and it’s one of those principles of light that make photography work and special.

But in life, unfortunately, this core shadow becomes a whore shadow and we trade, often unknowingly, the special…. for the cumbersome, the light… for the dark.

What’s important to remember here is that stepping out of the shadows, even slowly and incrementally, means basking in your own light.

We step out of someone else’s shadows and step into our own illumination.

At first, you will squint like hell, for the new light, is often bright and harsh and overpowering, often blinding.

But, gradually, as we get used to this new luminosity, we begin to see further, longer, and wider.

It’s a beautiful thing.

You cannot claim your own identity until you, without reservation, come out from the shadows of others and stand, even naked, in your own brilliance.

Granted, there is a lot less friction in the shadows of life. You go unnoticed. Life goes on. Tic tok tic tok.

But is that really where you want to spend your life, in the shadows of another.

Maybe, for all of us, we need to claim our rawness, our vulnerability, our humanity, and our humility and stand firmly in the light for as long as it takes up to get used to our new, radiant home and position.

Living in the shadows of others generally means we feel or seem unsuccessful in comparison to another.

But it’s time to step out and stand up. Be you. Be who you were born to be.

Reflecting this new light to and with others may seem awkward at first. But stick with it.

This is your new identity.

This is you, out from the shadows and into the light.

You are beautiful.

Click

Jack