In our lives, we can have the unfortunate experience of meeting malevolence; absence of humanity in a sentient being with a human form. I think it is almost impossible not to brush up against this darkness, if we walk through our lives with trust and love.

This experience leaves us with fear, doubt, and confusion. Our reaction to this de-humanizing experience can be obsessive. It can impact all of our other relationships with the world.

Our trust has been lost. Our loving innocence numbed.

In this way, we give his exchange authority over our perceptions of ourselves and give it agency over our lives.

How is it that we can de-commission this permission, and disengage this authority to retrieve our humanity?

Name it!

Give it a name so that it is easily recognizable as something we have encountered that is not part of us.

I see you! I recognize you! You are not me!

I forgive you.

And you are not allowed near my life. You can remain living in the darkness.

I choose the light.

nx