Ever been somewhere kinda scary at night and then go back during the day and it doesn’t even seem like the same place?  A few years ago, I lost track of time while chasing sunsets and ended up having to make my way through the woods in the dark….it was Halloween night (no joke) and there was a full moon and I’m telling you, there was a freaking owl stalking me.  “Hoot..Hoot!”  Scared the shit outta me.  Owls are some creepy ass creatures.  Shiver.  Doesn’t matter how many times I reasonably told myself “there is nothing there to hurt you” and “you’re okay, you know this trail well, just concentrate on your footing” and “owls aren’t carnivores anyway” and “zombies aren’t real and neither are owl zombies” and other calming phrases, I had to FORCE myself not to break into a run for the car knowing that would increase my risk of an ankle fracture (and then I would have to deal with that owl (and maybe zombies) all night until the rescue party came in).  I was freakin scared.  Little girl being chased by demon clowns scared.  The dark is terrifying.  It hides things.  Makes you wonder what is lurking there in the shadows.  It distorts shapes and makes them seem bigger and makes them move and sway in disturbing ways.   The darkness envelopes you.   That unsettling Halloween night, I made it back to my car safely of course.  Then the next time I was there in the daylight, I laughed about it.  This place isn’t scary at all!  Not the same place in the light of day.  The shadows and light frolic among the trees while the sun shifts it’s position all day long.  It’s a safe place.  My haven.  But guess what?  I was recently there again and lost track of time again (ok, so I might need to invest in a watch) and had to hike back out in the dark AGAIN.   I giggled nervously thinking “oh man, hope that owl isn’t lurking” and then simply hiked back through the darkness.  WITH NO FEAR.  Totally calm, taking care not to trip over any roots or hit my head on a low hanging branch.  Not only did I know very well what that place is like during the sunshiny daytimes, but I had also survived it in the scary night time.  I survived the dark once.  I will pass through it with ease this time.  I got this.