The Pause: After Dark
On what Arrives in the Dark.
In the darkness of the night
My mind is free to take flight.
Thoughts that stew throughout the day
Loosen, soften, drift away.
Storms brew, imagination glows,
Words rise slowly from below.
In the hush where shadows keep,
The waking mind forgets to sleep.
Creativity does not always thrive in the brightness of day.
It waits.
It returns at night, when stillness settles and the noise softens.
When nothing more is required of us.
The Pause was never just about stopping.
It was about listening.
Paying attention to what arises.
Not fighting. Not resisting.
I have learnt to listen.
To let the after-dark wanderings happen.
Clarity and creativity are often born here.
It is therapeutic.
It is peaceful.
It is where things begin.
This is an invitation to Pause.
And to trust what arrives in the dark.
- Michelle Valerie
This essay is part of The Pause.
You can explore more writing from The Pause here