The Candle Lighter Award: How the little things change life in a big way

Sunday 10:10 a.m. My husband is out watching football. I love football. My daughter is drawing pictures and coloring princesses. I love coloring with my daughter. And I am in my home office, alone, with the computer and the space heater amped up. I’ve got some serious work to do today. I’m not in the mood.

There is a blog to finish. I have my newest class on passion and purpose to complete for the Daily Om. Have chapter three to write and bills to pay and correspondence to complete. My work isn’t all that different from yours. Demanding. Interesting. Exhilarating and at times depleting. I’m not complaining. It is a privilege that I can do the work that I love. It’s a privilege, I know, to have work to do. I get that. I just don’t feel like doing it right now, today. That’s why the comment sent by poet, artist, and blogger Julie Catherine mattered so much today.

Writing is so, um, solitary. That’s mostly good. I like the quiet and the space to know my own mind. In that way I’m able to capture my ideas in some sensible way that perhaps fires up someone else, or motivates them, or excites them, or just helps them feel better. I want to help and inspire and entertain and educate others with my words.

But, I don’t always know if I’m doing that. And today, when I came in here to go at it again, I wondered if it mattered that much anyway.

Guess it does. Julie Catherine, keeper of the Muse-Sings blog (check out the fantastic poetry) reminded me that this work does make a difference when she nominated Imperfect Spirituality for the Candle Lighter Award, given to blogs or blog posts that “brighten the world.”

I am so appreciative and grateful to Julie Catherine for taking the time to let me know that the ideas we explore here matter. That others find some value – after all, I like you, do want to make a positive contribution to the world. Thank You, Julie Catherine. I am so honored to receive this nomination.

Aside from the recognition, this nomination caused a profound shift in me today: It reminded me of the power and the importance of a simple act of kindness. Of just taking time out to tell someone they matter. Of connecting with others by appreciating what they bring to the world. Of sharing something of yourself so that others know they make a difference.

There are so many candle lighters in my world – people like Julie Catherine, who brighten my life by their kind actions. My parents who dropped by just to see the gap in their granddaughter’s mouth from her first lost tooth. A friend who left a comment on my blog. The babysitter who came a few minutes early so we could get a started on our date night. The doctor who called just before the weekend (five days earlier than expected) with good news. Another writer who took time out to give me advice that made a difference to my work.

And, this brand of kindness is catchy. Science has shown that one act of kindness directed toward one particular person impacts more than a dozen people and extends out touching people not even connected to the original recipient. Each one of those people in turn reach a dozen more and so on.

Here’s what it looks like: I let you merge on the freeway ahead of me. You feel good about that — or at least less stressed — so you’re a bit nicer, more patient with the checker, who goes home and directs more love toward her kids who act better in the classroom, which inspires the teacher and so on. See how this works?

Kindness is a difference maker. It is a motivator. It is a connector. And, it reminds me too, that I want to be the kind of person who makes a positive difference in the lives of others. I want to be a candle lighter. That is worth working for – even on a Sunday.

Note: In the weeks to come I’ll be posting my own Candle Lighter nominatiions. If you know of a blog that has brightened your life, you can do it to.

The rules for this award are easy :

1- Whenever you see a blog or post you think brightens the world, give them The Candle Lighter Award.

2- Recipients can accept or decline.

3- As a recipient simply accept and nothing more! You can paste this image on your blog, if you wish, and you are done!

4-If you reckon someone else is a Candle, pass it on, anytime and as many times and to as many people. (my favorite part)

In the weeks to come, I’ll be listing my own Candle Lighter nominations so watch for them here.