When we were small children, it was fun playing with our toys. A doll, toy car or truck. Or it may have been a toy gun or tea set that we liked. Whatever it was, it became all the more real to us in our imagination. If we put on a Superman cape, or Wonder Women outfit, we imagined we could defy gravity. Or that we had super powers. Nervousness, fear, unease or apprehension were nowhere to be found. We may have only became upset when a parent insisted on us stopping to go inside for a meal or bath. In those moments of fun, excitement and joy, we didn’t have anxiety.  We were in control. We imagined ourselves as something, or someone special.

There may have been things, or times in our childhood, even today, that caused or causes us anxiety. A simple childhood example might be that of being afraid of the dark. At bedtime, we would have always wanted the light left on. So that if we were to open our eyes, we would be able to see what was around us. We could be in control. Even a superhero has to be able to see to act.

Funny thing is, there is no such thing as darkness. There is only an absence of light. The Sun. That big red ball in the sky. It is there twenty four hours a day. Every minute of our lives. It never goes away. It is always putting out light. It is only because of our position on planet Earth. And the Earth’s rotation, that we have our ‘backs to the Sun’ for a little while, that we can’t see the light.

Feelings of guilt or shame of a belief that we’ve caused more pain than pleasure. Negative than positive. Loss than gain, or drawback than benefit to someone, or ourselves, can create anxiety for us. All these feelings are based on an assumption! And we are the ones that make the assumption. An assumption based on our imagination!

When we do this, it is as if we are turning our back to the light of the Sun. Not seeing the whole picture. When we’re in the light, we can see the whole picture. And that is for every pain there is a pleasure. For every loss there is a gain. For every disadvantage there is a gain. And for every negative there is positive. All we have to do is look.