I took a night hike with my sons. The moon was bright and we walked along the trail without the aid of flashlights. Even walking through shadow, our vision was sufficient.

But something changed as we approached a well-lit clearing. The lights created an inhibiting contrast.

Once we saw the light, the proximal darkness became more difficult to navigate. Things nearby were now dark and obscured.

Those last hundred yards as we approached the light — those felt the darkest.

As it so often does, nature seemed to be teaching a lesson about what it’s like to navigate life’s highs and lows.