Letting the Light In

“There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in” ― Leonard Cohen

 

                  As I was trying to decide what I would write today, I came across this quote. I have heard it before. When I think about it, this quote is powerful. For years I have described my depression as darkness and referred to healing as the light. My description fits with this quote. When everything about life seems difficult, when we are struggling with our mental health, we need a crack to let the light of healing into our lives.

                  Even when our worlds seem to be completely dark, there is a crack somewhere. We may not always see it, but it is there. Learning to look for that crack is not easy. After a lifetime of learning about my depression and reflecting on it, I still struggle at times. It is difficult to remember that the light exists. I have learned that the crack letting the light in takes different forms. 

The crack can be a thought or a song. It might be a something someone says. Maybe it is the literal light of a sunny day. The crack can be small. It can be something unexpected. At times we must do a bit of work to find that crack. Employing a coping skill is an example of doing work to find the crack.  Engaging in one of these skills often allows me to feel better. The crack might be finding the strength to reach out to my mental health team and allowing them to guide me through whatever the depression is causing me to feel. Reaching out is the crack. My mental health team brings light through that crack.

The cracks in our depression or whatever we are struggling with is going to be different for each of us. When we find the cracks, we need to allow that light to seep into our lives. The light may be faint, but it can also be bright. Whatever form it takes, we need to embrace the light. 

The quote reminds me of an artform I have mentioned before. (Beautifully Imperfect) Kintsugi is a Japanese art of repair. When a piece of pottery or porcelain is broken the cracks are repaired with gold. In kintsugi gold is the light seeping through the brokenness, which can be viewed as a darkness.  Our cracks can be filled with “gold”, a light of healing.

As 2025 begins I am going to try to focus on the light seeping through the cracks in my depression. At times I may not see the light, but I need to remind myself that it is there. I realize that at times this will be difficult. I may need to rely on my coping strategies or my mental health team at times. That is okay. They are a part of the light. I encourage you to look for the cracks letting light into your lives.