LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle."{James Keller, Catholic Priest}

I awoke in total darkness. The only sounds from outside were the crickets, owls calling way off in the distance and water lapping at the shore of the lake not too far from the cabin's front door. My dream had been a bit unsettling and I was not ready to reenter it so I decided to get up. The moon was in it's new phase and the only light was from an occasional star that flickered in and out of view as the clouds scudded overhead.

In total darkness I fumbled until my hands found one of the pillar candles that were scattered about the room. I found the accompanying matches and lit the candle. It flared to life and settled into a steady flame, bringing a small amount of light to my searching eyes and a feeling of comfort to my dream fogged heart. My biology decided that it required a cup of calming tea but the cabin was still too dark for this endeavor so without much thought, I reached for another candle and used the lit one to light the next.

For reasons known only to the gods of such things, I was suddenly aware of the fact that by lighting the second candle from the first, the light in the room was greater but the first flame was not lessened. I had heard this adage all of my life but had never stopped to consider it before, now I was transfixed in facilitation of the truth of this statement. My quest for tea forgotten, I rounded up all of the candles that I could find and began to study the phenomenon as I slowly advanced one wick toward the flame of the first lit candle . As the flame caught the new wick, there was a small flair as both flames burned in tandem for a second then, as I moved the newly lighted candle away they both burned with the same intensity but now they burned separately. Again and again I lit a dark candle from the bright one, just studying how the light spread and grew without taking anything away from the original candle or any one I chose to use as the source.

As I watched, I understood how we are all candles. What source our light comes from really does not matter, what does matter is how we spread and share out light with those around us; those looking for light and warmth. Our sharing will never diminish us, it will only diminish the darkness of ignorance. As a candle of understanding flairs with the light of love and understanding, compassion and faith, so the light of truth will lead our way to the greater truth of what we are all searching for; the way back to what we truly are.

Nameste, Bright Blessings, Truth and Love, Chessie

© Chessie Roberts 2012, all rights reserved