Reflections #1

I will be posting a series of essays that I find worth sharing - written them in class.

A candle loses nothing when it lights another candle

A few years ago, the Seattle Special Olympics saw nine contestants in the 100-metre yard race. They were there for the race of their lives, not to run the race to win, but to finish it. The gunshot sounded and all of them dashed, all except one. This boy toppled, twisted his ankle and cried. The remaining eight heard his cries, looked back and went back to the boy. A Down’s syndrome girl bent, kissed the boy on his forehead and said, “It’s alright, here, let me help you” and she helped him up.

All nine of them, with arms linked, walked together to the finishing line. The crowd gave a standing ovation and this story was told all across the world. All nine participants of the 100-metre yard race went back as winners that day.

James Keller quotes, ‘A candle loses nothing when it lights another candle’. I would agree with James Keller because the candle’s flame would last an eternity as it passes on light to another candle. In helping others to win, we would achieve more than if we were to win by ourselves. In sharing, we receive much more than if we were to receive. The word selfish would then not exist in our vocabulary. If the people of this world would act like the nine contestants of the Seattle Special Olympics, a better world would exist; a world without a trace of discrimination, racial biasness and war.

A powerful tool that exists in all of us is the ability to share. In the light of this, I respect all teachers in this world – in school, our parents at home, or even at religious places of worships. They dedicate their lives to the sharing of the knowledge that they have gained. I take my hat off to teachers who are willing to sacrifice their time and who are willing to go the extra mile in the hope that their students would do well in life. Those who teach, are able to expand their horizon of blessings and receive blessings from their learners as well.

If this world would stay true in sharing and sacrificing a little bit of their worldly possessions such as time and money, this world would definitely be a better place to live in. It is not that hard to share or to donate with altruistic means, all it takes is thoughtfulness and a caring heart. After all, a candle loses nothing when it lights another candle.