I have always loved Robert Louis Stevenson's "My Shadow", which is in A Child's Garden of Verses.
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of it (sic) is more than I can see.
The name of the blog is Sunshine and Shadows and it's built around the idea that although life is filled with sunshine, there can be shadows.
I have had a lot of sunshine in my 65 years. I've also had my share of shadows - probably not any more than most anyone. However I think we can agree that when those shadows seem to overtake the sunshine it can feel pretty bad - even cold and surely dark.
Carl Jung believed that our shadows are a composite of all the shameful, nasty, negative aspects of our personalities. I read that idea in Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, a book I read almost every day. I can tell you that idea certainly does not give me any comfort and joy.
I tend to instead think of my life experiences that caused me disappointment, dismay, defeat and sometimes disgust as my shadows. In other words - dreams that were shattered - from a failed marriage to the loss of the love of my life, from hopes and plans for a career change to difficult experiences in the lives of my children.
Sometimes my shadows make me fearful. That shouldn't be. It is only when we repress our fears, our doubts, our insecurities that they can help us. I'm not sure where this idea came from but I have heard that admitting we have a problem is the first step in overcoming it.
Besides - who really ever heard of a shadow hurting anyone?
Robert Louis Stevenson's poem goes on to say - He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see.
So when my shadows start to creep up and cast doubt on my hopes, dreams and plans. . .I endeavor to meet them face on and know that indeed they are just shadows.
'Doesn't always work. But at least I have a plan!
'
