Let There Be Light!

From the time of their earliest understanding, we wisely assured our children that there is no reason to fear the dark. We tell them of the need we have for the nighttime to bring us quiet and refreshing sleep. And it is true that a friendly darkness is a welcome and necessary relief to the glaring light. But darkness is only friendly when we know what lies within it. If we have any apprehension that there is something unknown lurking there, it can be anything but reassuring. But there are other kinds of darkness that cause concern besides the darkness that comes with lack of physical light. There is the darkness that closes men’s minds; the darkness that nourishes prejudice; the darkness that permits men to hate other men because they don’t know them; and there is the darkness that fears what it doesn’t knowand even fears to find out. We sometimes speak of the dark fears of primitive peoples, and we think confidently of our own enlightenmentbut in reality perhaps there are few of us who do not at some time fear to face facts. To give but one example, we sometimes live in fear of our own physical condition, or of our supposed condition. We have heard of read of many maladies, the symptoms of which we fear we have, and we go on living in fear because we fear to know the truth; whereas, by consulting competent counsel, by learning the truth, by facing the facts, our fears might quickly be dispelled. And even if the worst were true, knowing it would permit some intelligent action. But not knowing the truth precludes intelligent action and permits fears to multiply. There is almost nothing we fear which is so bad in reality as our mental fears would make it. Knowing the truth is seldom so terrifying as fearing the truth and not knowing it. And so, one resolve to suggest for the days to come would be to seek enlightenment with open minds, to face the facts in our own lives, and in our own generation; to search for knowledge and wisdom, for understanding, and for truth; and accept them where we find them. “Let there be light!”