SHADOW PEOPLE

*Note—All of us live in the Shadows of our communities from time to time.  Life is often unkind.  When we find ourselves in the Darkness, the question for us is this:  Will we remain Victims?  Or will we become Victors? The Shadows do not need to swallow us up for a life time.  However, whether the stay is temporary, (which is the case for most of us), or long term, the results of living without the sun, moon, and stars is harsh.  We all need Light!  Even a little bit of Light gives us hope when we find ourselves in dark places.  Some of us manage to straddle the Darkness and the Light for long periods of time, (with one foot in each place), but the results of living this way are also difficult, leaving us feel like we don’t know where we belong.

People who live in the Shadows (Shadow People) include the following:
  • People who live in Poverty.  This is the #1 reason for living in the Shadows.  Some live in poverty for a very short time.  For others, poverty is generational.  Generational poverty is difficult to climb out of.  Many children and families who exist in generational poverty, live their entire lives in the Shadows.
  • People who suffer from Addictions of one form or another.  These persons are often able to straddle both worlds of Shadow and Light.  However, it is a rare feat to juggle the two worlds forever, and the Shadows eventually take over unless the addictions are addressed.
  • People who suffer from Severe/Chronic Depression and other forms of Mental Illness (both mild and severe). These persons are often able to straddle both worlds of Shadow and Light.  However, it is a constant battle to remain in the Light, and the Light they do experience may be quite dim.  Without proper therapy and/or medications, these often very fragile persons may slip into the Darkness forever.
  • People who suffer a great Loss, such as the death of a child, a parent, or a spouse.  Loss may also come in the forms of a major move, a divorce, the estrangement of a family member, the loss of a job, personal financial disaster (including the loss of one’s home), the loss of one’s health, the loss of one’s youth, the loss of one’s property because of a disaster such as fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, hurricane, etc.  There are many ways in which a person suffers loss.  Most of these persons live in the Shadows for a relatively short time, then move on to acceptance, and finally are able to keep one foot in  both worlds of Shadow and Light and are able to do this quite well.   Some recover completely and re- enter the world of sun, moon, and stars, permanently.
  • People who are Battered by a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, grown child, or other family member. The seriousness of the abuse and the amount of help received, or not received, determines how long these persons stay in the Shadows.  Some never leave the Darkness. Some manage to keep a foot in both worlds of Darkness and Light. Some get adequate help, recover, and learn to live permanently in the Light. There is help available for battered persons.  None of these persons need to stay in the Darkness!
  • Special needs children and their families often stay in the Shadows.  This should never happen.  Help is available.  These families should be able to live totally in the Light of the communities in which they live, in that place where people learn and grow and thrive and love.
  • People who are Homeless, either as a choice or a circumstance.  Those who choose to live as homeless persons often stay in the Shadows for very long periods of time.  Those who are homeless by circumstance most often recover and move back into the mainstream of their communities (with assistance from their communities).
  • Shadow People include children who are neglected and abused, ignored, dismissed, shoved aside, bullied, insulted, put down, etc., by others in their lives who should love and care for them.
  • Shadow People include children and youth who have run away from their homes. 
  • Shadow People include children and youth who are caught up in the foster care system (which is often uneven), or in institutional living of one form or another (also uneven).
  • Shadow People include children and youth who have lost one or both of their parents due to illness, accident, drug abuse, divorce, incarceration, or death.
  • Shadow People include children and youth who are caught up in cults or other types of controlling situations and have no way to escape.
  • Shadow People include children and youth who are seen as “different” to the rest of the world.

*Help is available for most, if not all, of the People living in the Shadows of their communities!  Sadly, some don’t know that help is available, and saddest of all, some do not want help.