"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it"

[Shine]

~Edith Wharton.

What does that quote mean to you? :shrug: I'm interested to hear your interpretation.


To me it means we are All connected and part of a giant diamond of bright Light, here to burn brightly and reflect our communal and individual growing consciousness. :grouphug:

Shine on! :hi:

[petronius]

1. I think it means that you can either do the work,

or just stand around and take credit for it... :)

[Shine]

3. huh, interesting perspective

so "reflection" for you implies lack of involvement? ;)

[petronius]

8. I doubt that EW meant it that wy, but I'm kind of a cynic

I imagine the purpose of the phrase was more that the mirror can extend or focus the light into new areas...

[Shine]

9. Yes!!

I agree.

[Sequoia]

2. Candle? Sure hope the wind doesn't blow.

[Shine]

4. If the flame blows out, there's always another one somewhere else

what can I say? I'm an eternal Optimist. :D

[NJmaverick]

5. I take it to mean you can either be the one doing the good work or inspiring the good work

or at least be the person that appreciates in a postive and active manner what the others have done.

[Shine]

6. Yes, I totally get that.

Nice. :thumbsup:

:hi:

[Gidney N Cloyd]

7. Mirrors can help focus the candlelight into something greater.

Think of the surgery scene in Young Tom Edison.

[Shine]

10. Yes, I agree with you completely.

:thumbsup:

Tell me more about this movie you mention. I'm not familiar with it, but I'm intrigued....esp b/c my 8th grader just gave a 10 min speech in his History class on Thomas Edison.

Fascinating man, who definitely brought in Light on a literal level. :D

[Gidney N Cloyd]

14. If I recall correctly...

Edison's (Mickey Rooney) mother was sick and the doctor needed to operate. Right there, that night in the Edison's house. Waiting until morning when there would be sufficient light would risk her life but so would operating in dim candlelight and lamplight. Edison gathered up all the candles and lamps he could find to surround the operating table but it wasn't enough. He then propped behind them all the mirrors he could find and that magnified the light shining on the table so the operation could be done.

That's what I recall, anyway. It's been a long time since Family Classics with Frazier Thomas on WGN.

[Oeditpus Rex]

11. I am reminded of an old 'Peanuts' strip

in which Linus quotes, "It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness."



Cut to Lucy hollering, "YOU STUPID DARKNESS!"



:D

[Gormy Cuss]

13. That's my girl.

:toast: to Lucy.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. My dear Shine!

I like this quote a lot...

I would rather be the candle, the originator of the light.

But I have done my share of reflecting someone else's light...

And that is also a very good thing!

I know that we're all connected...I feel that every day.

But be careful of the candle...it can burn!

Shine on indeed, sweetie!

:loveya:

[Tikki]

15. When I hear the words 'candle's flame' I think of...

this song by Silver Apples and how
many years I've tried to understand the
idea behind the lyrics. It's cosmic, I think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S60sfCn9LA

"The universe is nought but sound
Sound is its own perfection
Mind is the only truth I’ve found
The flame is its own reflection!
The flame is its own reflection!.....

Tikki

[Midlodemocrat]

16. I think it means that you can be the one doing the good,

ie, 'spreading the light' or you can be the one 'reflecting' back and spreading the word about the first person's good deeds.

Kind of like how we say about the RW that it doesn't cost them a red cent to have compassion, but they seem to lack it anyway.

[otherlander]

17. You cannot pass the torch

because there is no torch. You can only become the torch, and to light the way, it is you who must burn.