There is a famous Chinese Proverb that says: “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
Most people interpret it as meaning that instead of just complaining about something, do something about it. And, they are right. Many people are so busy complaining about their situation that they don’t take one minute to consider what they can do about it.
But, it also has a deeper meaning for me… In my opinion, light symbolises hope, as per the English idiom “light at the end of the tunnel.” And, there is a direct link between hope and positive thinking. As long as you still have hope, you still have some positive thoughts in your mind. By the same token, positive thoughts give us hope.
So, instead of cursing the darkness, thereby only making the situation worse due to our negative thoughts that feed it with energy, it’s much better to cultivate a positive attitude that will give us hope. And we can only cultivate a positive attitude through positive thoughts.
The problems we face often seem huge and unbearable, like darkness that has no beginning and no end in sight…
However, as Saint Francis of Assisi said about 800 years ago: “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
It does not matter what situation you are facing right now, all it takes is one positive thought to light your candle of hope. The light from one candle may not be enough to light up an entire house or a stadium. But, as long as you feel comfortable enough to take one step at a time you will be able to walk anywhere in the house or stadium without bumping into anything in the dark.
Such is the power of positive thoughts and hope. You do not need to find a way of extinguishing all the darkness around you at once. All you need is one little candle and the darkness, however overwhelming it may seem, won’t be able to engulf you.
Just take one step at a time. Don’t worry about how you are going to go the full distance. By taking one step at a time you will manage to go the full distance. Don’t focus on the darkness all around you. Don’t allow the darkness to scare you. It can’t extinguish the light from your candle. Just keep your focus on the candle and you will know when and where to take the next step, one step at a time.
