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| Life Lesson Series: It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle |
Life Lesson #12
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” – Aristotle
The Philosopher Queen vs. The Philosopher King
My mother always told me, everything in the darkness must come to light. She wasn’t speaking about philosophy, but about the lies people tell—both to others and themselves. Big or small, she believed truth would always reveal itself because, as she often said, God would have it no other way.
When I first read Aristotle’s words, I thought of her. The famous philosopher spoke of life’s darkest seasons, urging us to focus on the light—a symbol of better times. The “light” is deeply personal, shaped by our own experiences. No two dark moments are the same, and no two people see the light in exactly the same way.Skyline Stars and the Light of Day
Life often offers more shadows than sunlight. Even when I thought I was standing in the light, darkness found a way to creep in—like a city skyline glowing faintly but still overshadowed by night.
At times, stars lit my path; other times, clouds swallowed them whole, leaving me lost. Eventually, the sun would rise, but the shadows lingered, waiting for my return.The Lies I Told Myself
I have known the kind of darkness where you can only put one foot in front of the other, moving forward on faith alone. You stumble, fall, and rise again, fighting against what feels immovable—until one day, light seeps in, filling your eyes, your heart, and your soul.
When I think about my mother’s wisdom and Aristotle’s belief, I see they’re the same truth: every dark moment in my life has been fuelled by the lies I told myself.- After my assault as a teenager, I told myself I wasn’t worth protecting.
- When I turned to substances in university to self-medicate my anxiety and early symptoms of Bipolar disorder, I told myself I was being brave—not running away.
- When I was diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder, I told myself that denying it meant it wasn’t real. I fought against the current, believing I could never drown.
Darkest Fears Come to Light
The darkest night of my life came one November. After 25 years of substance use, unmanaged mental health, self-deception, and fear, I felt completely spent. I had tried to live positively, to shine the light of my mother and grandmother, but I could no longer escape the darkness inside me—unhealed trauma, deep shame, and fear of both failure and success.
That night, I spoke to God and to myself, admitting how tired I was. I asked for help. In that moment, I felt a small but undeniable light within me—peace, possibility, and the first flicker of healing.
The darkness didn’t vanish overnight, but I carried that light forward, remembering both my mother’s words and Aristotle’s: the lies we tell ourselves must turn into truth before light can break through. During our darkest moments, we must focus on the light ahead—the beacon of better days waiting for us.Final Reflection
Thank you to my Philosopher Queen—my mother—and the Philosopher King, Aristotle, for teaching me this:
The light at the end of the darkest tunnel is also the light inside of me.
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