this little light of mine...

candles have always fascinated me. so much so that i've been accused of being a pyromaniac during the first tutorial of my degree on "the fishing trip" - 'twas a problem-based learning exercise that teleported the entire group onto a rickety fishing boat that got blown out to sea, only to end up on a deserted island with limited supplies. i think there was alcohol and there were books in the inventory that i had wanted to burn to keep everyone warm.

sometimes, i'll light candles for the heck of it and other times, it'll be out of necessity. a few times, i've been scared outta my mind as i get jolted awake by the awful screeching of the fire alarms in the middle of the night. thank goodness that's a rarity, thank goodness the culprit wasn't me =P despite the repeated scares, i still don't learn and am now looking foward to the dark and gloomy winter nights when i'll be able to initiate candlemania. you know how a werewolf'll only transform under a full moon? the same could be said of me... transforming into a pyromaniac only under the blanket of darkness =)

anyway, i digress. didn't mean to raise a few eyebrows with all this talk of candles and burning things. all i wanted to do was to jot down something that caught my attention, for my own sake. 'twasnt the first time i've heard it said, but it resurfaced again during one of the video clips at the camp. with my memory as bad as it is, i don't quite remember the exact phrasing but it was to do with how one should strive to be like a candle. "huhh??" you ask? nooo don't give me that look! i aint off my rockers... yet.

what it's trying to convey is that the candle is self-sacrificing. burning, diligently carrying out what it was made to do, consuming itself for the greater good to give light, to guide, to lead the way for everyone else. it's also about how a wee little candle can make huge ripples of difference and how it's something to mull over. something to keep in mind. and with that, i'll leave you with my snappy happy collection of various flames of the non-romantic kind =) credits to mish for the tzuching candle art heart snap!


lotsa gratitude, little light... 感恩. gan'en