In preparation of the next daylight savings time, I have decided to not move my clocks back. It’s all about being prepared.
A few weeks ago, my power went out. It was out for several hours, during which time I lit my candle (yes, singular) and several tealights. I quickly learned that, although they provide great mood lighting, tealights are not very helpful during a power outage. My single lit candle, the wind blowing outside and Debbie Boone’s song, ‘You Light Up My Life,’ playing in my head, motivated me to pen a letter to a friend. If I had a dip pen and ink bottle (and a few more candles) I would have written to everyone. I later told Har about my letter writing experience and she replied, “He better hope your power goes out again soon or he won’t be getting another letter for some time, if ever.”
I decided to change these odds by purchasing more candles; hopefully, the dip pen and ink bottle are soon to follow. I also decided to read up on emergency preparedness. I went to the government site ‘Ready’ and the first heading I saw was, ‘Protect your family with a disaster plan.’ I immediately wanted to leave a comment, “Dear Government, my family is the disaster.” I read on and realized being prepared is a lot of work. According to this website, being prepared involves being informed, making a plan, and building a kit – that’s a lot for someone who is still trying to put together a parade kit. I have the best of intentions to be ready, and have a parade kit, but time just keeps ticking away and right now my focus is on candles.
Turns out, candles are tellers of time and have been since at least 520 AD (the HD is silent). Candle clocks were thin candles with markings that indicated how much time had passed based on how much of the candle had burned. Although candle clocks didn’t tick tock, putting a nail in the candle caused it to clatter on the platter once wax hit it – much like a timer. Like me, candles and daylight savings time are not compatible. You know what they say, once you burn wax you never go back. I’m sold. Candles provide light (mood and emergency), motivate me to write letters, allow one to ‘share their intentions’ for another, and are the number one cause for residential fires in America. Light it up!