Tending to the Flame
Long ago in Japan, paper lanterns with bamboo frames were common. One night, a traveler gave such a lantern to a blind man.
"This is useless to me," the man said, "for I cannot tell light from darkness." The giver replied, "I know, but if you carry it, others will see you and won't collide with you." The blind man agreed and set off.
He hadn't gone far when someone crashed into him with great force. "Watch where you are going!" the blind man shouted. "Can’t you see my lamp?" The stranger replied sadly, "My friend, your lamp went out a long time ago.
Beyond physical limitations, we often walk through life with the pride of someone who thinks they are guiding others, unaware that our own "lamp" has gone cold. We are quick to judge and eager to fix the world, yet we offer very little light of our own. True influence doesn't come from pointing out the darkness in others, but from tending to the flame within ourselves. When we focus on our own growth and integrity, our light becomes a natural guide for everyone we meet.
"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
