It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn

Florence Leontine Mary Welch, AKA Florence Welsh from Florence and the Machine, has to be, undoubtedly, one of the best lyricists and poets of our time.

Revisiting old playlists has taught me the importance of poetry, music, and doing the things you love doing.

It has taught me that when you do the things you love doing, you do them wholeheartedly and inspire others to do the same.

For me, writing has always been what I love doing. Writing has become my outlet, my lover, my trusted confidant, and above all, my passion.

When I write, I create a sacred space away from the world. 

When I am in this sacred space, I can be myself—a writer, a poet, and often an overthinker.

But who doesn’t overthink? We live on a planet of overthinkers. And understandably so, our world consists of changes and upheavals we cannot always foresee. We go with the current of life and all the changes that come with it.

The only constant we can be sure of is the change and unpredictability of the current itself.

The curveballs of life, you could say. The idle Tuesday phone calls leave you numb and heartbroken.

I used to fixate on these thoughts. The thoughts of loss, hurt, and suffering in the world around me. I used to overthink scenarios and conversations that held no real value to my life and only caused me a lack of energy and clarity.

Before writing, poetry, and music saved me from these tormented thoughts. I used to lay awake for hours just overthinking life and the future. 

Some of us are either stuck fixating on the past or stressing about the future, but few of us truly live in the present.

Buddhists meditate on the concept of change extensively. While doing so, they willingly embrace change and use meditation as their outlet to process it. They allow thoughts in, but do not attach themselves to these thoughts. They go with the current of their changing thoughts.

Writing helps me go with the current and has become my life raft in the storm of life.

A dear friend described his outlet as a lantern in a cold, unpredictable world. He said that life is a little less sad when we carry a lit lantern and remember to walk in acceptance and light, and when we find the outlets that ignite our passions.

I urge you to walk in the light with a lit lantern, and remember it is always darkest before the dawn.