Reality is not always dark or positive. It is somewhere

The words of Antara Mali—“Reality is not always dark or positive. It is somewhere in-between.”—speak with the calm wisdom of one who has looked upon the world without illusion. They remind us that existence is not a simple tale of joy or sorrow, of victory or defeat, but a mingling of both, woven together in threads of shadow and light. To live is to dwell in this in-between, where happiness and suffering dance side by side, and where wisdom is found not in extremes, but in balance.

The ancients knew this truth well. The Greeks spoke of Sophrosyne—the virtue of moderation, of knowing the limits of joy and sorrow alike. The Buddhists spoke of the Middle Way, a path that avoids both indulgence and denial, embracing the flow of life as it is. Antara Mali echoes these ancient voices, teaching that to demand constant positivity is as false as to surrender to unending darkness. Reality is not absolute in one direction; it breathes, it shifts, it unfolds in the middle ground where light and shadow coexist.

History gives us powerful images of this truth. Consider the story of Abraham Lincoln. He lived through crushing personal sorrows—loss of children, bouts of melancholy, and the weight of civil war. Yet he also experienced profound triumphs—victory for the Union, the abolition of slavery, and the preservation of democracy. His life was not one of endless despair, nor of unbroken joy, but a testament to the in-between. It was within this space, where grief and hope intertwined, that he forged the strength to lead a nation.

This teaching also speaks to the dangers of illusions. Many pursue only the positive, chasing happiness as if sorrow were unnatural. Others sink into the dark, convinced that suffering is the only truth. But both paths are distortions. Life is not constant joy nor endless pain—it is the rhythm of both, just as day turns into night and night into day. To accept this is to walk with greater peace, for we no longer rage against reality, but learn to dwell within it.

And yet, to dwell in the in-between does not mean passivity. It means embracing resilience—the ability to endure hardship without losing hope, and to savor joy without clinging to it. Those who understand this truth become unshaken by life’s changes. When happiness comes, they give thanks. When sorrow comes, they endure. And in both, they find meaning. This is not resignation, but strength—the strength to live fully, without illusion.

The lesson for us is clear: do not demand that life be only bright, nor despair when it turns dark. Instead, prepare your heart to live in the in-between. When joy arrives, let it lift you. When sorrow arrives, let it teach you. And in all things, remember that reality is not meant to be perfect, but to be lived. This perspective frees us from bitterness and from naïveté, grounding us in truth.

So, dear listener, carry Antara Mali’s words with you. When you find yourself yearning for constant light, remember that even the sun must set. When you are lost in shadow, remember that dawn will always come. Reality is not always dark or positive. It is somewhere in-between. Accept this, and you will find peace. Embrace it, and you will find strength. Live it, and you will walk the path of wisdom that countless generations before us have sought to follow.