Sound of falling raindrops accompany me tonight as I begin writing these
thoughts down on the last pages of my Little Prince journal. Electric power had
gone out an hour ago and I’m still here on our dining table, settling down as I
have just lit another candle so I could continue this solitary activity. And so
I write. While staring but for a few moments at the bent candle in front of
me.
It amazes me how one discovers great lessons from such simple daily objects- if only one finds the time to look closely.
The candle, though bent as a result of poor positioning upon storage, isn’t yet broken. And as long as it’s still a candle, it has a purpose it currently fulfills.
Candles are formed under high temperature. Wax has to be melted and fitted onto the mold for its desired shape to come out. It’s never an easy journey in achieving a goal.
They all come in different shapes and sizes, nevertheless, it’s the wick that ultimately defines why candles are valued.
Candles are celebrations of life and death; they have topped birthday cakes amidst the joyous celebration and they have wept with those who mourn for the passing away of a loved one.
The candle weeps for its death, more precisely, it weeps while its dying. But that doesn’t stop it from burning, from living.
Even after death, they give life to newer ones. The melted wax never loses its purpose even upon the end of the previous candle of which it once was a (great) part of. The opportunity to be a part of a newer candle is always there.
And the lesson we all know too well- their light brings hope even in the darkest of nights (literally). Theirs are the most reliable when everything else fails, even human technology (Yes, I’m talking about power outage).
It amazes me how one discovers great lessons from such simple daily objects- if only one finds the time to look closely.
I did. And this is what the candle taught me.
Lessons from a Candle
The candle, though bent as a result of poor positioning upon storage, isn’t yet broken. And as long as it’s still a candle, it has a purpose it currently fulfills.
Candles are formed under high temperature. Wax has to be melted and fitted onto the mold for its desired shape to come out. It’s never an easy journey in achieving a goal.
They all come in different shapes and sizes, nevertheless, it’s the wick that ultimately defines why candles are valued.
Candles are celebrations of life and death; they have topped birthday cakes amidst the joyous celebration and they have wept with those who mourn for the passing away of a loved one.
The candle weeps for its death, more precisely, it weeps while its dying. But that doesn’t stop it from burning, from living.
Even after death, they give life to newer ones. The melted wax never loses its purpose even upon the end of the previous candle of which it once was a (great) part of. The opportunity to be a part of a newer candle is always there.
And the lesson we all know too well- their light brings hope even in the darkest of nights (literally). Theirs are the most reliable when everything else fails, even human technology (Yes, I’m talking about power outage).
Candle burning bright,
Let your fire purge my darkness-
I be pure as flame.
