Nothing forced, he said. Wait for it to come. You’ve got time. What’s the rush? Worried? Thinking your mind is blank forever? It will happen.

Look at shadows on walls. Notice how black they are and what light does. The power of light. We seek it out. None of us want to live in darkness. In the land of shadows.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? he asked.

Turn on coffee, she responded.

No. Before that.

Turn on the kitchen light.

Right. Yes. Because you don’t want to be in the dark, he told her.

What about at night? she asked. When I’m sleeping? It’s dark. We want it to be dark. Well, except children.  They want a nightlight. Or the closet light on with the door cracked. They don’t like it dark.

But then we get older, she continued. And the dark becomes our friend at night. It allows us to sleep. To dream.

Yeah. We do, he said. Maybe darkness is our friend at night. We cling to it, perhaps. However, I could live in the light forever. The dark, not so sure about that. 

Suit yourself, she said. For the most part, I like the dark. I’ll stay in the dark. Less of a struggle. When there’s light, you know. You’re aware. I don’t want to be aware anymore. It’s too frightening. 

Shhh. Don’t force it. Just write.