Many religious traditions light candles in prayer—memorializing the dead, asking for healing, expressing gratitude for something special. Light reaches out, expressing our conviction that we touch, and are touched by, far more that our hands can hold.
Who or what would you like to light a candle for today?
Lighting a candle does not necessarily have to be exposed for a sadness. Often a candle is blossomed for the joy of something beginning; that is hopeful for pleasure of being together at the dinner table; that is torched at a gathering of kindred souls who have come to try to accomplish a mutual goal or path of action. Yes, sorrow may be revealed with the glow of a flame but I prefer to consider the aspect of pleasure, goal-seeking and togetherness when I am in the presence of the glowing and flowing of its flame.
Candle of joy and gratitude for my best friend. She is 81 and has been a registered Republican all her adult life. She is what the Johnny-come-lately neocons call a RINO (Republican in name only). She hasn’t ever watched the Fox Channel, doesn’t even know where to find it on the TV. She reads print media. This election she voted for the Dem. candidate for Pres. for the first time in her life. Like me and many others, she went into grief about the results, not as strong as my grief, but she felt it too. She has supported and nurtured me. Support from fellow liberals is wonderful, but her support helps in a unique way that is very strong. The fact that she is a Republican gives me hope because there have to be many others like her out there. She has inspired me to write a blog post titled “Feed the RINOs.”
Nice to have your comments, Margaret! So inspiring that your friend was able to do the truthful thing that was in her heart. I’m trying to decide on how to establish meaningful dialogue with both sides among my friends…how to convince my DEMS friends that we must establish conversations that matter…and hoping to find the ways to listen carefully to the reasoning of the REPS so that our country can come back together again.