Bizarre skid marks on morning pavement,
greet me on my way to work.
Bent guard rail and black scuffed curbs,
all the shadow’s handiwork.
Night time can be a dangerous time. “Nothing good happens after 10:00 p.m.,” say those who would know. The sun goes down and consciousness wanes. The shadow comes out to play. It moves about with greater anonymity when light is lacking. (You can’t see shadows in the dark.) People drink, adding to their unconsciousness and loosening their inhibitions. Evil, ever the opportunist, sets out to create mischief, looking for willing accomplices, and those who are just naïve.
People spin out of control, unaware of the anonymous parts of themselves. Their shadow, the unknown or dis-owned, moves about in the dark areas of their psyche. It promotes trespass, sabotage, vandalism, and car wrecks in their lives and relationships. Sometimes outer world car wrecks occur. A dead deer by the side of the road gives witness to the gruesome clash between soul and ego. The latter, high on alcohol or drugs, or just high on itself, colludes with the dark shadow, the chaos lover.
Trouble lurks when darkness prevails, especially in those areas of our lives where careful attention and consciousness should already be present. Know yourself. Know your shadow and drive more safely through life.