Whose Candle are You Lighting?
August 3, 2009 by Joe Gigantino
“A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle.” ~ Father James Keller
Have you ever been to a church service, perhaps Christmas Eve, when candles are lit one by one by the simple sharing of a flame? What begins as one lit candle soon grows into an inspiring master glow.
When lighting a candle, what’s the first thing you need to look for – the wick, right? You’d better be able to find it, or your candle won’t burn. If the wick is buried deep in the wax, you may need to dig it out so that it is more exposed, making it easier to catch that spark and hold on to a flame.
We as humans have special gifts and talents that often get buried deep within us, just like the wicks that are buried deep in the wax. To uncover and enjoy their benefits, they must be exposed in order to share with others. What significance do our gifts and talents hold if we keep them buried?
Have you ever tried to walk through a dark room, only to bump into an object? This object has no purpose to you (other than tripping you up), until the lights come on and its purpose is understood. So the same with our talents and gifts – once their flames are ignited, their purpose is clearly understood, and others can share in the light.
What is your purpose in life? What gives you the most joy and conveys your true passion? Certainly there is something that you find yourself pondering and often discussing with others. Maybe there are several things – maybe your purposes change during different stages of your life. Maybe you’re reading this knowing full well what your purpose is at this stage of your life, but you’re not doing anything with it. Your wick is buried.
It’s time to light your candle – maybe it’s a newly found purpose and your wick is out there ready to ignite. As wonderful as that realization is, however, you must remember that candle wicks also need to be trimmed. If they are too long, they burn too quickly. Their only job is to produce that little pool of wax, so a short wick can go a long way. If the wick is frayed, the candle will smoke and create that black carbon that you often see clinging to the side of the container.
I’ll bet you never thought about the science behind burning a candle, right? I didn’t either until I started researching for this blog. Find your purpose (candle) and evaluate your gifts and talents (wick). You also don’t want to move too quickly or overdo by burning your candle at both ends!
Take the time to mediate on your gifts, write down your vision or mission statement, share your thoughts and feelings with a person you trust, and then go for it. As you believe in your heart and speak it out your mouth, you will see your passion (your candle) begin to spark the flames and lives of everyone brought into your path.
Hopefully I’ve helped ignite that spark in you – help you uncover your buried wick and get out there and make a difference. I believe everyone has many hidden gifts that even someone you least expect could benefit from. You only have one life – don’t waste yours!
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