Afraid to Shine

There was a time when a tiny flame kindled upon a wooden table. It was the only light that shone all around. Its light did not reach far. It was frightened that if it grew and stretched itself out it might find unpleasant things that where hiding within the shadows. The flame felt its own warmth and this was comfort enough, after all the tiny flame was able to see its immediate surroundings. Occasionally people would come and sit around the table to eat or play games and the flame found joy in providing it’s light at those times. Each day the tiny flame was put out to sleep. At those times the flame was not aware of all the activities that where taking place all around it. But the candle, the candle saw and knew all that was taking place all the time. Now wax desired for the flame to grow and shine brighter when it turned dark. Wax had tried to communicate this to flame but flame could not hear wax. So one day wax sighed out loud and asked itself how it could let flame know about its desires. This wick heard and laughed out loud. “Oh candle of wax, there are three of us. Flame, Wax and me, Wick. Why did you not speak up earlier about your wish. We could have conveyed your wish to flame. You see, wax communicates with wick and I communicate with flame by feeding your wax to flame, so that flame may shine.”
Wax was so stunned and amazed at first, she had to digest what she was hearing.
Wax asked: “There are three of us?”
Wick responded: “Why yes. Our name is candle. Wax that is you. Wick that is me and flame who is asleep right now.”
Still confused Wax said: “How do we work together? I do not understand! I did not know that there are three of us.”
Wick explained: “There is only one but we are made of three. Wax, Wick and Flame. You wax communicate with me and I wick communicate with flame. However there is another source that we need as well. It is fire lead by hand. Fire lead by hand lights flame. When flame is lit we are all than one and in union with one another. We work together to give light to those who cannot see in the dark.
The sun is setting soon and it will be time to light flame. When she arises I will let her know about your wish. I too wish for flame to shine brighter so that we may see beyond the table.”
Wax was excited and proclaimed: “Oh, please do! Please tell her we need to shine brighter so that we all may see beyond the wooden table.”

Wick and wax both became very quiet and waited with great excitement for fire lead by hand to appear. The darkness was almost upon them when they heard….zish….and saw the fire appear. Fire lead by hand grew closer to wick and like so many nights before the tiny flame appeared miraculously.
She, flame, bubbled with excitement. Awake at last, she slowly and cautiously stretched herself when out of know where a voice appeared.
“Hello flame, do not be frightened. It is me wick. Remember me, long, long ago we used to talk about many things. Do you remember me?”
Flame was feeling very startled at that moment and afraid. Someone had entered her sanctuary, invaded her space. To the same time a nagging feeling of familiarity arose within her. For what ever reason, she knew this voice, this wick. Long forgotten memories of having had many talks until deep into the night surfaced.
“I am not sure, but I feel as if I know you. As if I should know you. Why do you speak now to me?”
“Because wax has a request for you. She wishes for you to shine brighter and bolder. She as do I wish for you to illuminate the entire room. Can you do this?” asked wick.
“I can but I fear what lies within the dark shadows of the room. It is so dark and unknown.” explained flame.
Wax heard flame and excitedly proclaimed: “Tell flame, since she cannot hear me, that there is nothing to fear. That there are people and pets and furniture just like the table around us.”
Wick conveyed the message to flame.
“Wax? Who is wax? And why should I believe wax?” flame cried out.
So wick explained: “ Wax is who feeds your flame so that you may shine. Each evening she gives a part of herself to you so that your flame may shine brightly and light the world around us. She gives me her wax to feed to you. Without wax you cannot shine and wax without me cannot give, and I cannot give wax to you without wax being willing to give you the life force to shine and without your flame we cannot see. So you see we all depend on each other so that we may be candle. When we are candle we are one. But you will not shine bright enough for all of us to see. Wax wants you to know that there is nothing to fear. During the day when you sleep we see the entire room because the sun shines brightly. There are people and children that play and there are dogs and cats. There are also lots of furniture just like the table we are sitting on, for you to see. We see the entire world just not at night. And you, you do not see the world like we do because you are asleep when the sun shines and at night you do not wish to shine bright. Dear flame there is no need to fear the dark. This is why you are flame, to illuminate the darkness around you.
Flame had listened. She thought and thought about all that wick had said until the sun began to rise and it was time to be extinguished.
Wax sighed: “Maybe tonight?”
Wick agreed: “Maybe she will find her courage tonight.”

The following evening came and went and the tiny flame refused to speak with wick. She continued to shine her small flame. Another night came and went and another and another.
Wax and wick decided it would be best to let flame remain in her comfort zone, while they both hoped and wished for illumination.
On the fifth evening flame found her courage to speak to wick: “ Wick, you say the day is bright and you can see the entire room, that I am asleep during this time. How do I awake?”
Wick was excited and explained: “Hello flame, I thought maybe you forgot about us. Well you see there is fire lead by hand and it comes each evening to light my wick and wax gives the fire through my wick life by giving from itself so that you may light.
“Without wax I would not be and without you wick I would not light?” wax asked.
“Yes we all three work together to be candle so that we may give light to those who cannot see in the dark.” wick expressed.
“ Fire lead by hand, without them we cannot be fully candle either can we?” flame inquired.
“No, we need fire led by hand to light us.” wick told flame.
Nervously flame asked: “You promise there is nothing scary in the dark shadows?”
Wax was listening very closely and was becoming very excited.
“There is nothing scary in the dark shadows, you will love what you will see.” promised wick.

So flame tentatively grew in size and saw the chairs beyond the table, nothing scary here. She grew some more and saw the floor and saw that here too was nothing scary to behold. She grew and grew and each time she shone brighter she saw wondrous things.

Flame cried out loud: “How could I have let fear stop me from seeing?”
And wick responded: “You no longer are afraid, this is all that matters!”

Flame, Wick and Wax became one to illuminate the world around them. Fire led by hand continued to assist them so that they may illuminate eternally.

A story from the Akashic Records given to all of us so that we may illuminate the world around us.