In the beginning, when the Power of God took the form of Light, it also took the form of Darkness. Whenever it was Light, it was Darkness, too.The two always went together. At first, however, God’s power was too dazzled by its Light to notice its Darkness.

The Power of God was so busy making patterns and designs and turning itself into colors, it had not realized no one could see its creations without the Darkness that was always behind and under and around all the brightness of the Light. The Light decided to find out more about being Darkness.

Years later, a child’s parents said, “Time to go to bed.”

The child said, “I can’t go yet because I need a drink of water.” But do you know why that child really didn’t want to go to bed?

The child’s parents said, “OK, one quick drink, then off to bed.” And the parents gave one more hug and turned off the light.

Lying in bed, the child said, “I don’t like this darkness. Why can’t it always be light? Why is there darkness, anyway?”

The Power of God that was Darkness heard the child, and answered, “Once upon a time I wondered about that, too, and now I think I understand. I could tell you some of my ideas. But first, tell me what you don’t like about my darkness.”

“Well,” said the child, “I can’t see anything.”

“Yes, in one way that’s true,” replied the Great Darkness. “You can’t see things like your toys or your bed, but you can see with your inner eye because those other things aren’t getting in the way. You can see in your mind and your spirit, the kinds of things we see in our dreams.”

“Sometimes the things I see that way are scary.”

“Yes, sometimes they are. But when we know the things that scare us, we can understand them better, and we aren’t so afraid of them. My Darkness gives you a chance to grow stronger and braver in your dreams. And, of course, some dreams are fun or wonderful, too.”

“I know,” said the child, remembering one very good dream. “But there’s another thing I don’t like about your Darkness. If I have to get up I might bump into something and hurt myself.”

“Well,” said the Great Darkness, “nighttime is for resting and not moving. You use up a lot of your power and energy in the daylight. You need the quiet time of the night to create more energy. That’s when you grow.

“You know how bulbs and seeds need to snuggle into the darkness of the earth before they can grow. You know how baby animals grow in the darkness of eggs or their mothers’ wombs before they can be born.”

“But when I’m in the dark, sometimes I feel all alone,” the child said.

“Yes, sometimes we do feel alone, but the people you love are really quite near you, just in the next room,” comforted God. “And I am always with you. Darkness is just one of my many forms.”

“Well, I guess there is something good about darkness,” yawned the child, turning over and curling up like a baby in the dark of its mother’s womb. “At least you don’t seem too scary when I’m talking to you like this.”

Then the child’s eyes closed and the Darkness that was one of the forms of God wrapped itself very carefully and gently around the child. And within the mystery of that Darkness, something new and wonderful began.

Adapted with permission from a story in Hide and Seek with God by Mary Ann Moore.

For related activities, see the Spring 2013 UU World Families insert (PDF, 4 pages). The theme was “Sacred Rest: The Beauty and Purpose of the Dark.”