The devil visited me tonight.

It was unplanned; just like usual. There's no telling when he'll show up -- that's what makes his visits so difficult. No phone calls, no warnings, nothing. He'll sneak into your house at 2am engulfing everything in complete darkness so all that you could see is him. You feel an undeniable heaviness laying on your chest. He lacks any comprehension of personal space and pretty soon you're practically gasping for air begging him to leave you alone. But it's too late; there's nowhere to run. You're trapped. You're rendered hopeless and helpless.

He convinces you that you belong in the darkness; that the darkness is your friend and the presence of light was merely an illusion. After all, you're no stranger to the darkness and you've become used to its presence. He crawls in through your nose and makes a home in your veins. He steals your personality, your peace, your identity. You are no longer you; you are him. You try to scream, but it's no use. Nobody can save you. He tells you that it's better this way. You put up a fight, but quickly realize you have no power over this beast and it's hopeless. All remnants of hope are gone and you begin to accept that this is your reality.

But just when you're giving up; a miracle happens. The sun rises. The devil is gone. Just when you think all hope is lost, you were proven wrong. Life resumes. You have a newfound appreciation for the light because you have seen the darkness and you've made it out alive. You were granted another chance. It was because of the darkness that you can appreciate the light. All battles in life exist to teach us a lesson and this is no exception.

You know this isn't the end -- he'll be back. Maybe sooner; maybe later. The devil doesn't give up without a fight. His force is strong, but so are you. And life is worth that fight. Regardless, you know it won't last forever because you've lived it already. You already know the outcome. Why? Because you've seen it.

Though it remains yet a mystery when he'll appear next, we mustn't allow our fear of the dark prevent us from enjoying the light.