Candlelight Theory.

What is Candlelight theory?

I was lighting up some lanterns few weeks back, in our front yard. It was a serene full moon night. With a cloudless sky and dark silent atmosphere. There were minimal winds, perfect for some lanterns with burning candles. I lit up one candle and fixed it on the floor beside me and used it to light up all the other candles, around 40 in total. One by one they started to bring more and more light to the initially dark front yard of ours. Everyone loved it. And the first candle which I used to lit up all the other candle was still burning, with the same brightness, as it started. And this simple analogy is the candlelight theory.

Candlelight theory is some ancient wisdom, that I picked up from a 1000-year-old book. In simple words it explains how good deeds or intensions can be spread around the world, just like the bad ones. As you can see, the initial candle I used to spread the light, did not lose anything by lighting up some other candle. Not one, not two, even after forty candles, the light it produced did not dimmed out. Similarly, when kindness, empathy or good intension, that you give to others would never will exhaust you. It will only spread the light through dark spaces of the world where you cannot reach. Like a ripple travels afar from it's origin.

A Living candle.

Life is like a candle. You were born, with the light of the others, a father, a mother, with a bit of kindness and empathy perhaps. Against the constant wind that tries to put way the light you create, you burn your wax called years, into creating light, for yourself and others. Perhaps by lighting some other candles. And one day the wax would end, and the light you created will cease to exist. But, the light you helped to create will carry on, until the wind is strong enough to blow them all. But beyond your short existence on this earth, you have no power, responsibility or influence of what happens. I am not sure to be happy or sad about this notion of life.

A burning Candle.

I find it fascinating when I do think about life as a "Living for others affair". There is a constant battle inside a person, with the selfish reason. But, the inevitable burnout of the candle wax reminds me, the selfish reason, of making a brilliant light while it lasts is not the best possible way of living. Instead, the guilt of the selfish reason is only overcome by lighting some other candles.

So, what is your experience with candles, other than occasionally burning fingers and tampering with hot wax?