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The Monday Morning Memo

Hunger of the Candle for the Flame

April 10, 2006

| Download
https://podcasts.captivate.fm/media/0624afd0-2eac-401c-aa39-778c071cf0b5/MMM060410-HungerOfTheCandle.mp3

Hunger of the Candle for the Flame

 

You are a column of wax.

Your purpose began as a spark, a flicker easily ignored. But you didn't ignore it. You turned to face it and your head caught fire.

Grace Hansen admonishes, “Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid it will never begin.” In other words, be afraid you will never catch fire.

Lethargy. Apathy. Malaise. Aimlessness. Depression: Five different words for the absence of a flame.

What is it that burns in your soul and shines through your eyes?

Did you know that humans would rather be angry than bored? Anger is an ugly flame, but it feels better than no flame at all. This is why people who have no creative vision spend so much time being angry. Anger gives them purpose.

Try not to walk in their shadow.

Jorge Luis Borges, consumed by the tiger of time, is gone. But when he walked among us he looked directly into the lens of life's camera and said, “Time is the substance of which I am made. Time is a river that sweeps me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger that tears me apart, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire. The world, unfortunately, is real; I, unfortunately, am Borges.”

Time is the fire, the animator of us all. You step into it at birth. You step out of it at death and grow cold, a column of wax once more. Your candle is spent.

What did it light?

You've heard me say it many times… I repeat it again today, not because I can think of nothing else to say, but because it's vitally important to your happiness:

“Lives, like money, are spent. What are you buying with yours?”

Roy H. Williams

PS – Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, you might be able to write something worth reading? Something that would live in hearts and minds long after you are gone? I believe the Wizard Academy Writer's Conference will be an important national event in years to come. Saturday, April 22, 2006 will be the first one ever. Come and I promise you'll leave on fire.

Another Indulgence, Another Addiction – I shared with you my thoughts about Pandora.com a couple of weeks ago and a number of you have since expressed your thanks. You're welcome. Here's an even tastier treat: the Today in Literature daily email newsletter. I look forward to it every morning. Have for a long time. I got the free edition for awhile, then subscribed for Premium Access. Best twenty dollars I ever spent. Take a look. (And no, I don't have a dog in this fight. In other words, I'm not making a penny off this. But I really admire Steve King and want to support his efforts.) – RHW

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