Let's Light Some Candles Today
There is an old saying that it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. Let's light some candles today.
Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. - Buddha
It's interesting the use of a single candle as a metaphor for joy. A single candle does not give off much light or heat. Maybe that's the same thing with our own personal joy. It doesn't need to be a roaring fire of joy; just something small that we can share. Much in life amounts to just showing up, being present to others. All it take is for us to show up with our little candle of joy.
It may seem there is a lot to be unhappy about. Maybe all we need to do when we can't find something to be joyful about is to find somebody who has "shown up" with their joy, be it large or small. All those little bits of joy that we bring or we get from others will cause lots more candles to be lighted. It is then that we, together, as we break down isolation, as we work to build a more joyful, just and compassionate society. Together we can create a warming fire of joy that will be seen by all.
How will you be lighting your candle today?
Rev. Ebony Only is a Director of Human Resources for Community Renewal Society and Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of University Park in University Park, IL. Reverend Only is also a Doctoral candidate at the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union.