As the winter evenings draw in and daylight becomes more scarce, I think we could all use a bit more light in our lives. And by light I don’t just mean the sunlight. Just as we talk about dark times to describe painful episodes in our lives, so light can be a symbol of hope in the face of adversity.
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As the winter evenings draw in and daylight becomes more scarce, I think we could all use a bit more light in our lives. And by light I don’t just mean the sunlight. Just as we talk about dark times to describe painful episodes in our lives, so light can be a symbol of hope in the face of adversity.
I have recently discovered that a close friend of mine for example has experienced years of a stressful marriage with someone she should have been able to trust the most. My friend somehow held on – she held on both to her integrity and her conviction in something greater than herself, her faith in God. In the midst of all this, she fiercely and compassionately protected her child, who grew up witnessing her quiet strength.
For me, her tale has some parallels with the challenging physical and spiritual journey taken by Prophet Joseph. From the book Muslims turn to for guidance, the Qur’an, I learned how Joseph’s journey began with an action by those he trusted most—his own brothers, who threw him into a well. He went on to endure years of injustice. Joseph could easily have succumbed to despair.
But according to the Qur’an and the Bible, Joseph’s story didn’t end there: he rose from that vulnerability. He held on to his integrity and his faith in God, providing him with strength and purpose. He emerged not only respected but honoured. And several thousand years later, I found myself as a young girl enjoying the upbeat and catchy musical about Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, singing along with gusto.
And my friend’s story didn’t end there either: it continued in her child. Today, my friend’s child has become wise beyond their years. Able to see beyond appearances, to perceive both sincerity and inconsistency, and to honour their mother greatly. That child now has the skills to understand the pain of others and the agency to show empathy and deep care.
Reflecting on the story of Joseph and my friend though, I’m reminded that even if I can’t stop difficult things happening, at the very least, I do have some power over my own responses. I need to remember when confronted with the most challenging moments that, through integrity and conviction, good can prevail – even from the darkest of places comes light. it may be in this generation, it may be in the next, and if not then in the life to come: Although my singing is highly unlikely to improve.
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