This post is part of Thirty Things That Help.
Light a candle
It’s taken me thirteen days to get around to sharing this post even though it was the first item on my ‘30 things’ list, because I know to some of you it might sound a bit silly. It definitely sounded silly to me once too. But lighting even a tiny candle, especially in the northern hemisphere right now, is magical in a way that is wholly out of proportion to the amount of effort it takes or money it costs.
Yes, it’s a little bit of scene-setting. It looks pretty and it says that you’ve made an effort. But it’s more than that. A candle is very calming and very inviting. Perhaps because of humankind’s long association with fire, a candle makes us feel warm and safe even though it’s not literally warming us. If your family has fractious mornings, try lighting a candle at the breakfast table. Light a candle for your morning read aloud, or give the children a candlelit bath in the evening and watch their delight!
(Candles in the dark are even better. Very occasionally I make the family turn off all the lights so we can see what life was like before artificial light. I find it much nicer and only turn them back on very reluctantly. Try it!)
It’s probably a good idea to follow my advice in a previous post and spend five minutes tidying your table first. And beware the children, like one of mine, who are so enchanted by the flame that they just can’t resist getting a little too close for their own good. That’s not calming for anyone.
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The image for this post is by Mateusz Grabowski via Unsplash.
Such a funny coincidence, my child and I spontaneously lit a candle today just as it was getting dark. It was very atmospheric. I think semi-darkness leads to better conversation too.
The other day I walked in on my senior studying Chemistry with a candle lit on the table. It's amazing how these little habits trickle down.