Shine Through the Darkness: Choosing Light in the Wake of Tragedy
Tragedy unmasks the soul, will you shine or celebrate the dark?
Tragedy has a way of ripping the mask off society; it exposes men's and women's souls in ways comfort never could.
Last week, when Iryna and Charlie were murdered, we didn’t just lose two lives; we were also shown something; we saw the raw truth of people’s souls.
Some wept.
Some prayed.
Some stood firm in solidarity with the families left behind.
And some chose to celebrate, mock, and rejoice in destruction.
That is what tragedy does, it pulls back the curtain and reveals true colors.
As I wrote about here, my response was to shine even brighter and let others know that now is the time to get a firm footing and stand our ground. This concept of mine is one I shared on Facebook with my community, and it took off.
I’ve had DM’s, people tagging me in messages about “Shining Bright”; one even put a “Shine Bright” sticker on her car because she said it’s the message we needed now more than ever, and she tagged me in it.
Today, I want to share more of my philosophy, so you can use it or better understand my use of it.
The Theory of Shine
When life gets dark, I choose to be more of a light.
What does that mean?
It means that when I get stressed, I see a lot of trauma, or I can sense that people are scared of what is happening in the world, I choose to be more public about my work and mindset.
When COVID hit, and people were scared, I brought my baseball players and invited all youth athletes to join us; I ended up dealing with cops daily.
When lockdowns happened, and people felt isolated, I dropped the pen name I used online and introduced my “real self” to everyone so they could see that it’s okay and we will make it.
When my son and I almost drowned together, I cracked jokes once we were safe.
When a woman rear-ended me and almost killed me (True story, I wrote about my near-death experience here), I got out and gave her a hug on the side of the road, with carnage and truck pieces everywhere.
When things get extremely hard, stressful, and “dark”, I choose happiness, connection, and love.
I call it Shining.
(Yes, my inspiration is 100% from Stephen King’s Book/Stanley Kubrick’s movie)
I always choose to let light out through action.
This is not a passive thing, and it’s not meant to be sentimental; it’s how I live, and who I am.
This is deliberate behavior, and it has unintentionally shown me who others are when tragedies occur. Because the more positive I am and the brighter I shine in shitty moments, the more I see those who relish in the destruction and chaos going on in the world.
Some people want chaos and violence, and those are the people I remove from my life, as I am here for order and connection.
To shine means to be the antithesis of those who champion murder, tyranny, and control; it is to live so that your family, community, and nation feel your presence as a force for good.
When tragedy comes, you shine by supporting the grieving.
When hatred flares, you shine by doubling down on courage.
You shine brighter when darkness claws for attention, not to debate it or argue with it, but to drown it out; to pulverize it.
If you are reading this, you have a choice; in the wake of these recent murders, you can either:
Shine: Stand tall, speak truth, embody light through your actions.
Shrink: Be silent, bitter, or even celebrate evil.
But understand this, neutrality is a form of consent in the face of darkness.
Drawing Boundaries
We cannot control the darkness in another person’s soul; we can control who we allow in our circle.
If someone revealed themselves by celebrating tragedy, believe them; that’s not a “difference of opinion”, it’s a sickness of the spirit.
You are responsible for guarding your family, sanity, and mission.
Let the wicked go; your distance is a boundary, and boundaries preserve light.
Iryna and Charlie are gone, but their deaths mark a crossroads for those of us left behind.
Will we allow bitterness and hatred to spread, or will we shine brighter than ever?
Every act of kindness, courageous stand, and ounce of discipline you pour into your life is how you shine.
Do not waste your light; let it shine bright as the world has enough shadows.
- Zac Small