Jonathan G. Green

08/26/15

Envision 2 people, each holding a candle. They are unaware of each other's presence, and wandering aimlessly wherever they may be.

One of the people found some tools to get the candle lit, and is able to navigate better than before because the person is able to see the road being traveled. As this person gets used to seeing this road, the person's vision grows stronger because it was a sense that was not needed previously. Strengthening the sense of sight, allows the light of the flame to be extended further to provide more guidance.

Meanwhile, the other person has not found any of the tools to light their candle. But this person is troubled because, being unfamiliar to seeing light, the person sees the light produced by the other person's candle.

This person goes toward the unfamiliar sight to inquire about its substance. Once the 2 people meet and can see each other, the person with the flame advises the person, without a flame, with knowledge on how to light a candle, should someone else need that advice. However, being unselfish, the person with the lit candle shares the flame with the other, that they may both have a source of light to travel their respective journeys.

In sharing the flame, the original flame is slightly diminished because it loses some of its strength, or energy, by being spread to another, larger area.

However, given time, each flame is able to grow into its own brightness. And each flame has the capacity to grow brighter than the brightest of yesterdays because the knowledge of creating fire within is the tool of a person's passion and purpose, through understanding the tool of knowledge.

"Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way." - Booker T. Washington