There’s an old adage that says, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” The quote has been attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Adlai Stevenson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and even Confucius. Some researchers have found that the first written appearance of the phrase occurred in 1907 in a collection of sermons by William L. Watkinson.
Regardless of who gets credit for coining the phrase, there’s a great deal of merit in the call to constructive action. Even small actions can dispel the darkness of fear or hatred.
Today, I see a lot of people cursing the darkness. Many people are facing difficult times, whether it’s the darkness of a struggling economy, medical issues, work stress, or anxiety caused by the evening news. And we feel powerless, forgetting that we have the power to light a candle.
It is all too easy to fall prey to the constant negativity that bombards us. The news media, social media, and our colleagues often share doom and gloom that can overwhelm us. We can become convinced that hatred and division are the norm. Sometimes we need to take a break from the continuous onslaught of bad news for the sake of our own sanity.
While many of us perceive darkness as evil or frightening, scientists say that darkness is merely the absence of light. So logic follows that if we can offer a source of light, the darkness will vanish.
While there are many situations we are powerless to change, we always have the ability to react or reach out with kindness. Love and unity can overcome much. If you encounter someone cursing the darkness, who can’t see a light at the end of their tunnel, perhaps you can be that light. Share a smile, a touch, a kind word, or a meal. Let your candle be the reason someone sees the good in the world.
Kim, so well said.
I agree with this 100%.
Had a friend call a couple of days ago after a professional critique she was feeling down about. I helped her understand and gain from the critique and remember how hard she has worked to become the talented author she is. Then I suggested a slightly different path for her current goal. When we got off the phone, she was happy and an even better writer–again.
Another very good writer once read me a short story she wrote. I suggested she enter it in a particular contest, certain that she would win an award. Sure enough, her story took first, and mine took second. (I told her it was really good!) I was blessed to be able to deliver her check and award on my way home from the conference. She had a new confidence about her writing that she really needed at that time. This story still gives me goosebumps just to know I was part of that.
I’ve always loved the stories you write, Kimberly. I remember one about basketball that I hope you are planning to publish one day. It is such a heartwarming story. It “lights a candle,” too.