Candles. Many of us have them. In all shapes and sizes - big ones, small ones, wide ones, thin ones, scented ones. Nowadays, they're no longer used for the purpose of guiding oneself but as decoration, ornaments and smellies placed around our everyday homes. Many of us don't think much about them...
When first lighting a candle, you probably wonder how long will it last, or I wonder what it'll smell like? I think of a lighting a beacon, a signal - that not all hope is lost. That, as once spoken by one Albus Dumbledore 'Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.' A more historical finding of this purpose is in the 1990 hymn written by Arthur Scholey, when in the last verse he writes "light a candle in your window, let it shine beyond your pain," showing us that we're not alone with our demons.
When having a lit and an un-lit candle, I again reference Harry Potter but this time with Sirius Black in demonstrating that we all have demons and we all have hope but whichever we act on is who we are - "we've all got both light and dark inside of us. What matters is the part we choose to act on, that's what really matters." Many people may believe that they don't have a choice but we all have a choice and whatever choice we make is the path we choose and only we can change that path is we believe that we have chosen the wrong one.
They emit a scent, which can reignite a memory. Be it revision with scent memory (relighting the same candle when revising can help trigger your memory, similar to sound therapy). Or be it a good memory with a loved one.
How can something so small produce so much light? I suppose the same question can be asked of us.
So the next time you light a candle, watch it. Just for a second. Watch it flicker and watch the flame and the light it emits. Turn off all your lights and you'll see the marvel. Think of the memories (good or bad) or revise. Or just watch it and have hope.
Until next time,
D x
