No
one is as capable of gratitude
as one who has escaped
the kingdom of night. Elie
Wiesel, accepting Nobel Peace Prize (1986)
Just as there is nothing
like challenge to advance the spirit, there is nothing
like a feeling of being trapped - without options -
to limit it. It is unlikely you or I will ever suffer
the extreme horrors survived by Elie Wiesel. The feeling
of being imprisoned or unable to move forward, however,
is common.
The kingdom of night is
relative. For one it might be an addiction or abusive
relationship. For another it may be economic hardship.
For yet another it may be a limiting job or even depression.
Whatever our environment, it is likely that we will
eventually face life circumstances that appear to trap
us or limit our options.
The answer is simple to
those who view it from the outside. "Just leave!",
they say, or, "Get over it!". What others
can't see is what is real to those who are trapped:
our minds build the prison walls. Our thoughts line
them with barbed wire. Our internal judgments become
the patrolling guards. We can't escape until we learn
to tunnel or climb through those barriers and walk past
the guards.
If you are living in the
kingdom of night, escape is not only possible, but essential
to your survival. If you will first learn to see and
appreciate your invisible blessings - you are alive,
you can think and dream, a new day is a new opportunity
to bring about change in your life - you will begin
to see possibility instead of limitations.
Searching for and being
thankful for what is positive in every situation will
be digging your tunnel. (Even if your positive thing
is that 'it could have been worse'!) Write down the
list of things you're thankful for - there may not be
many at first - because that's building your ladder.
Review it daily, and add to it. This becomes your gratitude
journal, even if the entries say things like 'I'm glad
I had lunch', or 'I wasn't hit by a bus today'. This
simple process has the power to transform your life.
"If the dust settles
and you're still standing, there's a reason for it...
now start walking!" You can leave the kingdom of
night. You can start walking toward the gates right
now. Your freedom begins with being thankful for the
small things - gaining courage and strength to reach
the big things.
Never underestimate the
power of believing in someone. If you know someone living
in the kingdom of night, you could demand they leave.
