Candles

The world is full of candles, millions of them. They're all over, providing light and comfort, making you smile. Some burn brighter than others. You can see them no matter where you are. Others... their light is dimmer. But the ones close to them know they're there, and enjoy the warmth they provide.

Some candles burn for years, their flame getting brighter as time passes, until they peacefully die out. Others are snuffed out by force, and a candle that should've been around for decades is taken away early. Sometimes it gets dark. When candles near to you go out, more shadows creep in. A flame that you would've thought is as bright as the sun gets taken away, and the darkness hits you like a tidal wave.

It's hard not to think about what used to be there. And it's okay, you can think about it. You can remember their light, their soft presence that used to guide you. You can grieve for the candle that's been extinguished.

But then you can smile. You can smile and remember what they provided you with. You can remember how bright they were, how amazing they were. And you can look at the other candles around you. They're still there. They're still offering you a soft glow of support. There's not only darkness and shadows.

Yes, lights can go out. They can go peacefully, or they can be stomped out. You can't stop it. Eventually, they're gone. But... They're not, really. You still remember them. You still remember what they were. You remember the memories they gave you. And new candles are always being lit. There's always going to be light. It gets hard to realize sometimes, hard to see. But it's there. You can never truly get rid of it. There's always more. So you can smile while you face the darkness.

Because if we never had night, we'd never see the stars.