One of humanities greatest fears is of the dark. I know, personally, I prefer the light most of the time. It gives me chills when I walk to my room late at night, when everything is quiet, and it’s easy to imagine monsters lurking silently in the shadows.
According to some, the fear of the dark comes from people’s fear of the unknown. People fear what they don’t know. I’ve never really been scared of the dark, and I prefer to sleep when it’s completely dark. On the other hand, I’ve had my fair share of times when I return from the bathroom and get that hair raising feeling that someone is right behind me. Needless to say, I’ve gotten very good at sprinting through the halls of my house to quickly get back to my room.
Another reason I know that I’m afraid of the dark is because it can be difficult to feel like you are in control in pitch black. Most of the time, I’m more of a follower than a leader, by which I mean that if someone else is willing to lead, I’m more than happy to follow them. However, I like to feel like I have control of a situation, and in the dark, with no knowledge of what could be out there, I tend to feel like control is a little out of my grasp.
I love to write, and most of my time awake is spent thinking of interesting story plots, or characters, or dialogue. Usually, this helps me pass the time when I’m waiting in line for something or driving with the family in our car. However, while I usually appreciate my creativity, late at night, my overactive imagination is less welcomed. I start to think up disturbing monsters laying in wait just around a corner, or a madman waiting in the shadows, or even just shadows moving creepily. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to check behind the shower curtain because I’m certain someone is hiding behind it.
I think it’s interesting what a primal instinct it is to fear the dark. When we are young, we have nightlights to keep by our beds so that even in the dark, there is a light to hold onto. In many ways, we never truly lose the fear of the dark. Though we might become more practical, and realize that there won’t be anything hiding in the shadows, or behind the shower curtain, there will always be a part of us that at least dislikes the dark.
I believe that we can compare our fear of the dark with other fears, like the fear of the unknown. Since we don’t know what could be out there in the dark, it’s the things that could be in the dark that scare us, not the actual dark. And just as the dark symbolizes the unknown, I believe that light symbolizes knowledge. Humans like knowing, like learning, and maybe that’s why the feeling of not knowing is the scariest thing that we can imagine.
Whether you are terrified of the dark, or just scared of imagining the things in the dark, remember that no matter where you are, there is a light to be found. And, remember that night doesn’t last forever, and eventually, if you can’t find the light, the light will find you. See you next week!
“Reprinted from Hagel Publications, Inc. dba as Courier Newspapers”