The Tunnel at the End of the Light

The Transfiguration does not call us to be "a light at the end of the tunnel" waiting for people lost in the dark to blunder their way toward us. The church is to take the torch of the Good News boldly into the tunnel, lurking outside our circle of light.

One of our 6-year-old Thane's most prized possessions is his "Nighthawk." A "Nighthawk" is a teeny, tiny flashlight that attaches to a finger with a narrow velcro strap. The light itself comes from a bulb about the size of a BB shot. Adding to its allure, it is tinted a deep amber color.

Its small size and color mean that as an actual flashlight the "Nighthawk" doesn't exactly give you a perfect view of what's coming your way in the dark. But for Thane, the joy is that he can wear it anywhere -- out playing tag with friends, taking a night-walk with dad, reading under the covers in the safety of his bedroom, or keeping him company when he hides in the closet from his sister.

The "Nighthawk" is portable, personal, and able to pierce the darkness with a warm, if not terribly illuminating, glow. It's the perfect go-anywhere, go-everywhere night-light.

The comfort of night-lights is something we cherish as children but tend to forget as adults. The world can truly be a dark and scary ...