To All the Candles That Are Continually Lighting the Darkness, Keep Shining.

My friend had his car stolen the other day. As I was talking to another friend about the incident, she said, "People are horrible." In the instance of the person who needed to take my friend's car, I would like to say that yes, that person is horrible and there seems to be a lot of horrible people out there in the world today. However, as I told my friend, there are a lot of really good people out there too. And this is something that I am extremely grateful for.

If we watch the news, we discover that there has been a mugging, a robbery, a shooting, a car theft, and/or many other chaotic and disheartening things happening in the world today. Unfortunately, I think the focus of the news on the negative and the injustice that is occurring all over the globe keeps us from seeing the good things people are doing in the world to combat the evil that seems so prevalent. The focus on the negative is unfortunate and seems to keep us afraid. But there is so much good to contrast the bad and for that I am grateful.

How can we be a part of the cause for good when we seem so few sometimes? The Buddha said, "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." St. Matthew also wrote, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works..." If we are like a candle and share our light or our goodness with the world, the one candle that burns brightly can bring light and happiness to many other lights and not take away from itself. Likewise, if we share goodness and live our lives trying to help others, our goodness can light many other people's lives and maybe they will share their goodness with others. Good will shine and maybe someday outweigh the evil.

I am grateful to all of those candles out there that are burning bright for the world to see. I am grateful to the people who, in spite of the rising tide of evil that surrounds us, continue in their daily lives to try to share their light with one more person. I am grateful to all of those good people out there who continue to give people hope. Thank you to all of you. Please continue to share your light and goodness with the world because we need it.

Namaste.