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“Better to Light a small Candle than to curse the darkness”

As I was reflecting on my New Year message for 2016, I came across a most beautiful and relevant quote from Confucius: “Better to Light a small Candle than to curse the darkness.”

There and then I was captured by the beauty, elegance, and meaningfulness of this inspirational quote and decided that it should become the central focus of my message. This quote reaffirms my long held view that through our love and zest for life and our natural desire to be good, and to lead a good life, we can always do something positive no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in.

Just for a moment imagine what our lives would look like if there were no lights. Suppose there were no sun, no moon, no stars, no electricity, and no candles to light - just darkness. What kind of world, what kind of life that would be?

It would, for sure, be a dark, dreary, cold, and cheerless world. We could not see all the beautiful things around us, the pitfalls in front of us, and we could not find our way.

It is the light that makes everything so worthwhile and the world so beautiful.

In the darkness of the night, with no lights anywhere, everything loses its colour, its shine, and beauty. But, there is always hope: The hope of the morning, the rising of the sun, painting the fields green, the roses red and the snow flakes sparkle like diamonds. Lights, beautiful lights, they make everything bright and cheery.

All in all, we can light a candle, no matter how small its flame might be, which breaks into the darkness and brings hope into our lives. We are not helpless and it is always worthwhile taking the first step to do something good and loving in the face of everyday injustice or disappointment in this world that has fallen into darkness, tearing itself apart into hopeless pieces, wars, conflicts, bombs, destruction, revenge and more revenge.

By aiming to be a source of hope and inspiration we can be empowered to move from despair to hope, darkness to light and competition to cooperation, we will experience the joy of inner peace and contentment when we take the first step and light that candle.  When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming together it is the beginning of reality. (Holder Camara)

Do we shine? How can we shine?

We can shine in the same way that the moon shines at night. The moon does not shine by its own light. It shines as it reflects the light of the sun upon it (Rev Cecil A Newell). We, too, can shine when the light of humanity and compassion shines upon us. 

Pathways and Steps to Shine in 2016

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Better to Light a Candle than to curse the darkness