The Candle

The other night, I lit a candle and forgot about it. After what I thought was just a while, half of it was gone. I hadn’t even noticed the wax disappearing while I sat scrolling on my phone or pacing around my room. One minute it was whole, the next it was smaller, lighter, closer to the end. It struck me—things keep burning whether we pay attention to them or not. Flames don’t need our permission to give light. They just do. They burn, they shine, they consume themselves for the sake of warmth, and they don’t apologize for not lasting longer. Isn’t that the same with people too? Some of the most generous souls I’ve met gave so much of themselves quietly, unnoticed, like a candle flickering in the corner of the room. We forget to look, but still—they burn. They love, they care, they give. Until one day, their light is gone and we realize we never fully appreciated how steady they were. The candle taught me this: just because something passes quickly doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. Just because it burned in silence doesn’t mean it didn’t matter. Some things—some people—teach us how to live by showing us how bravely they shine, even if nobody’s watching. 🕯️

• Ephemeral
• Light
• Candle