The Time is Now. Light Your Candle.
We are getting hit, there is no doubt about it, each and every one of us is getting hit. Compassion is taking a beating everywhere we turn.
Regardless of your political beliefs, your religion or your ethnicity it seems like the world is going haywire; tensions with N. Korea, acrimony in the US Government, natural resources under threat, tensions in S. America. From Brexit to the Middle East, the waters of our ship seem suddenly tumultuous and uncertain.
With our world of 24/7 connectivity it’s impossible to escape it. I am sure I am not the only person who feels a sense of darkness closing in.
I suppose it’s natural to react in one of two ways, you can react with anger (there are a lot of things to be angry about, no doubt) or you can take the “head in the sand” approach, ignore the heat, focus on hobbies and interests. I am not here to say that either of those approaches is bad, certainly not, we all need to do whatever gets us through the night.
There is a third reaction though, it’s a bit harder, a bit more challenging; as the darkness gathers around the globe, our house and ourselves, we can light a candle.
Think about the purpose of a candle for a minute. Do you need to light them when the sun is shining on a bright spring day? NO! Of course you don’t. You ignite your candle as the sun dips low, when the shadows start to grow and when the world becomes harder to see and more frightening.
It’s time to light our candles.
“But,” you say “I don’t have any candles, my box is empty”.. NONSENSE! Within you exists the white-hot light of compassion, kindness, empathy, understanding! THESE create flames that can consume anything hate, ignorance or despair can throw at you.
With the environment, with your neighbors, with animals, children, the elderly, even with people who hate you for your candle. Realize that they fear your light, just as much as Dracula, the light from your compassion can melt their anger and fear away. Even if it’s so much as one tiny act, like visiting an animal shelter, or a food bank. From such seemingly insignificant actions, conflagrations of light have illuminated the world.
So go ahead, your marching orders are in, the time is now. Light those candles and tend those flames. The world is counting on you.
(Photo by David Rutter: Wildlife SOS, India)
