The Lighted Candle

It came to me while getting ready for a Friday evening at home just how important it is to have candles in your home. I was busy lighting them to make an atmosphere, to give the home a warm glow as the evening draws in but my lighting of the candle at the moment became more than just a simple task.

The lighting of the candles around the living area wasn't just for atmosphere, it was for light. It was that kind of darkness that actually was quite bright but I didn't want any lamps on so I thought a few candles would give us the light we needed. And in that action of striking a match and lighting the candle I was actually given a far bigger job than I had entered into. 

You see, lighting the candle is just the first step. If you choose to bring light into your home you are doing so much more than just lighting the candle. The act of bringing light in can begin and end with a candle. 

As head of the house I am physically choosing to live differently. I am choosing to not let the darkness come in, into our home as a first stop but actually, I am stopping the darkness coming into me. I have spoken before about our paths in life and there are only 2. It's true, you might think there are lots of different ones; I don't think there are. There are two and your actions, every day, decide which path you are on. Tonight as I lit my candles I reaffirmed the path I am on. I am on the path of light. I am bringing the light to my family. I am trying my very best to do the right thing, be kind, loving, work hard, bring something to others and create this safe space at home. That is my path and the one I believe to be light. My path takes me closer to God, because he is who I choose to love on this journey. My path also brings me closer to Rob, to the kids, to my unit who I strive to look after. I choose to bring light to those who see me, who come into my home and who want to be a part of my life.

If I hadn't lit my candles it wouldn't have meant that I was on the path of darkness, destruction and solitude, it would have meant that I just hadn't lit the candle. But, with its lighting I had a feeling much more profound, one I wanted to jot down and one that I wanted to prompt me to think about life and to be the light.