The Given Light

The Given Light

Author: Barbara Hug

Once upon a time a man had heard, that in a foreign place, far away, there was a holy flame burning. So he got up and left his home to find the holy flame and bring some of its light back home to his house. He thought: 'When I have this light, then I will have happiness and life and all the people I love will have it too.'

He travelled far, far away and finally found the holy flame, with which he lit his light. On his way back he had only one worry: 'That his light could go out.'

On his way home he met someone who was freezing and didn't have any fire and who begged him to give him some of his fire. The man with the light hesitated for a moment. Wasn't his light too precious, too holy to be given away for something ordinary like that? Despite these doubts, he decided to give some of his light to the one who was freezing in the darkness.

The man continued his journey home and when he had almost reached his house a terrible thunderstorm started. He tried to protect his light from the rain and the storm, but at the end his light went out.

To return the long way back to the place where the holy flame was burning was impossible, he wouldn't have had enough strength to go back this far - but he was strong enough to return to the human being whom he had helped on his way home.

.........and with his light he could light his own again. 

 

My Message

We are all like the man looking for his flame and then acquiring it. We are all capable of doing great and wonderful things with the beautiful possessions we obtain, but what are we doing with them along our journey? Are we using our talents, tools and knowledge to help others? Are we being sensitive and aware of whats happening around us?

As the story so perfectly points out, doing good always works to your advantage everytime. Sometimes we don't see it right away, but eventually down the line, we recognise it. The 'mechanics' behind giving are truly so perfectly designed for the benefit of the person helping. Research shows how helping others stimulates parts of the brain that actually keep us healthy, positive and extremely happy. Every person no matter who they are, what they do or earn, needs a helping hand at some stage and it is our responsibility everyday to make sure we see it and put in the effort to help. Use your flame and illuminate the world, as you never know when your light will go out and yours too will need to be re-lit.

May you have an awesome week

Darren Zwiers

 

The Quote:

"Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." ~ Danny Thomas