ONE LIGHT
Imagine an artist painting a winter scene. She depicts a white, frozen
ground and evergreens draped in snow. Her hand brings the day to a
close as she paints night falling on the canvas. In the deep shadows
of dusk, she has painted a grim, log cabin, barely visible to the
casual observer.
Then she dips her brush in yellow paint and, with a few quick strokes,
places a brightly burning lamp in one of the cabin's windows. Warm
rays dance on white snow, now made brighter by the light. The lonely
lamp wholly changes the tone of the picture, replacing feelings of
dark and gloom with warmth and security.
Edith Wharton has said that there are two ways of spreading the light:
to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. Sometimes we are
candles. We shed light of love and hope. We shine encouragement into
dark souls. Or we illuminate with insight.
But sometimes we reflect the light. We are mirrors to enable others to
see the light of their own goodness and beauty. And when we have no
other light of our own, we are mirrors which reflect a greater Light.
For some, the world can be bleak and cold. They feel frightened,
lonely and even hopeless. But it's true that no amount of darkness can
extinguish the light of one, small candle. You?