"Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown into instant flame by an encounter with another human being."   

                                        ~ Albert Schweitzer   

While a strong blow can extinguish a candle, a gentle one can ignite a flame that is going out due to lack of oxygen.

Picture a short tea candle in a tall votive holder. As the candle burns low, the flame becomes small and weak. Next, see in your mind the flame growing as you provide a gentle breeze of air with your breath.

You may wish to try this. I don't know just how large the holder needs to be and at what point the candle responds in this way. I do know that years ago my daughters and I discovered this while extinguishing candles after a dinner. Surprised and delighted, we watched again and again as the candle flames grew instead of going out as a result of a gentle blow.

Similarly, we don't know the exact conditions that lead to being a help to the light of another human being. And often don't know how our gentle loving stirred new hope in another human being. 

Without needing to know, let's infuse gentle love into all our encounters today...with gratitude for all the times someone did this for us.

Charlene

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LOVE: It will grow each time you give it away. (from The Twelve Gifts of Birth)

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(c) 2012 Charlene Costanzo 

Charlene Costanzo is the author of  The Twelve Gifts series of books:
The Twelve Gifts of Birth
The Twelve Gifts for Healing
The Twelve Gifts in Marriage
The Thirteenth Gift 
Touchstones: Stories for Living The Twelve Gifts 

October 6, 2014

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