Monday, September 8, 2014

Where There Is Light ... There Are No Shadows

Where There Is Light ... There Are No Shadows
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee




A special friend made this lamp for us.  I love the shadows it creates through the pieces of colored glass... I could sit and look at it for long periods of time.  These are soft, happy, comforting shadows.  Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee...




Some time ago, I read that in darknessness, there aren't any shadows (I saw this on a Facebook page).  Isn't that something to think about?


Reading this, caught my attention, made me think.  When I was in the periods of darkness in my life ... looking back, I can see I never saw a shadow.  I just never thought about it before.


I love shadows in the light ... happy shadows.  There are familiar shadows I look for ... if the conditions are right. 


For example ... when I walk into a room with window blinds, and plants sitting on the window sill ... I look for something special (special to me, maybe not to you). Those are the shadows the blinds, plants, maybe people ... would make on the opposite wall.


When I used to work at the hospital, in the evenings I would walk to the dining room; I always looked for such shadows.  It brought out the artist in me.  I wanted to sit, draw the shadows I saw.  I can't describe the effect it had on me. 


That 'something' was ... the way the sunlight came through the plate glass through the open window blinds.  The light played with the plants, throwing shadows on the wall.  When two people were sitting at a table underneath the window ... it completed what I was looking for.

I would look on the opposite wall, and feel happiness at seeing the shadows of the window blinds, plants, people... especially when all was ... still.  I wanted to draw, paint the shadows.


I could sit, look at shadows for a long time.  I'm always amazed at how one's shadow could ... be recognized.


Remember in school, in elementary school, how we drew our own sillohette on black construction paper?  We'd put them in frames to carry home to give to parents.  I don't remember anyone ever appreciating mine, but ... that didn't take away from the pleasure of doing it.


Shadows are amazing, fun.  When walking, moving around ... it's fun to watch them stretch out, get fat, change shapes constantly.  I shadow-watch ... as well, as people-watch!


There are no shadows in the dark.  I've lived in darkness ... I don't recall ever seeing one. 
Soft, black darkness like a comforting blanket.  No light to make one see the pain of life.  There are no shadows in the dark.  Where's there is light, there are shadows.


Shadows that come alive with movement; some happy ... some sad; some shadows are really bad.  One thinks of horror stories, black shadows that harm; shadows lurking to jump out from the semi-darkness to get us!


Leave the lights on for me when it's dark.  Where there is light ... there are no shadows!



Photo Credit/Story ... Photo is of a beautiful lamp our friend, Cindy, made for us.  I love this lamp.  Both photo and story are owned by me... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/ aka &grannygee

2 comments:

  1. Have you ever seen a shadow catch up with you? I have! I was walking home from my mother's and saw my shadow. When I rounded the corner----so did the shadow and it went right past me! I said "go ahead---I 'll be there soon!". This is the only place I have seen my own shadow catch up with me and pass me and beat me home! Love, Ms. Nancy

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  2. I don't like the dark myself. If anyone is ever around me when the lights go off-------DON'T touch me! You will definitely get hurt! You are right. There are good and bad shadows. One has to be careful around shadows. I am thinking sometimes there are different meanings for the word shadow. I guess each person will have to figure out which meaning is for them. Love, Ms. Nancy

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