Surrendered to Shadow

Events at play in my personal life have put my 2012 definition of a 'Good Person' back in my face to confront those thoughts in a decidedly BLEAK  way... and I must admit it's enough to test even my persistence of positivity... 😅🐇🕳🤔

Though still aligned to the definition, some people tragically lose the internal battle between their light and their shadow, so 'what they've got' appears to be sweet f*&#-all. 🤷‍♀️😳 And when that person is or has been very close to us, the sadness we feel is enough to sink us... watching them self destruct is an indescribable pain. Their light, their potential, first dims, then finally flickers out. 😢

Such a harsh truth... some people either lack the mental capacity, emotional fortitude and/or Spiritual will to heal. They succumb to their shadow(s) and become the ultimate A-sshole. They are no longer safe, neither for themselves nor others. 💔

Aside from who I have in mind at present, my sister was also one such person; which is why I maintain that these people - though lost in shadow - are still inherently good people... I don't know what will happen to this particular unfortunate soul (aka my husband), but I know what happened to Amanda and I can only hope that the lesson can be learnt and the inner light found in another lifetime.🌈🙏

[UPDATE: Re-reading that last sentence truly creeps me out in hindsight... because, good god, he died too... exactly one month after I wrote this article; my widowhood eluded to here.💔😵😧]

For me, here's the silver lining: Learn from these Good People in Disguise, the ones who cannot or will not escape their darkness... move towards the light, BE THE LIGHT. 💖💞

Avoid blame, take ownership, engage in consistent and deliberate self reflection, challenge judgments and assumptions. Find the light of compassion, of empathy, of authentic self awareness, and use that light to create healthy boundaries with our shadows so they have their proper place within us rather than taking total control. BALANCED & WHOLE.

We all need to be able to downshift into the shadowy asshole space every now and then, set healthy boundaries to protect our values and our worth; but damn that internal boundary needs to be laid first! 👀👈

How we use / abuse our light and dark may just be the most crucial choice we make in this life. 🐇

What makes you a Good Person?

What shadows prevent you from being a Good Person from time to time? How do you know?

How can you engage your shadows in a healthy way? 

Original Publication Date 25 February 2024