Ghion Cast: Blowing at Candles
Written by Teodrose Fikre, March 11, 2017, 0 Comments
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“There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.” Henry David Thoreau once said this about humanity and our conniption to feed the very tree of injustice while we concurrently rage against it. Well, for every thousand hacking at the branches of evil, there are ten thousand blowing at our candle with their unasked for advice and their not so benevolent intentions. Instead of accepting each other as we are, too many of us make it our aim to change the light of others and make them conform to our image.
Perhaps peace on earth can be arrived at the minute we stop trying to change the world and others and instead just focus on ourselves. But it much easier to look outward and think we can be the next messiah than have the humility to fix the brokenness within our souls. Don’t think I don’t acknowledge my own contribution to the hacks at the branches and know that I too have been and continue to be a candle blower myself. After all, I have a website dedicated to reaching others and doing my part to reinvent the world. We all struggle in this journey of life to know our limitations and to not try to act like God towards others.
But there is another category of candle blowers that have it at their core to be malicious with their intentions. Instead of trying to change the light of others, there are utterly broken souls who wallow among us who make it their objective to kneecap others and snuff lights all together and sink people into the abyss. The more benign form of blowing at candles is excusable in a way for it is done without intent as everyone loves to be the adviser and helper of others. Not too many want to walk hand in hand with people and be equal to others for our ego strives to be superior and prove we are the better by “helping” others. But then there are those who prove their superiority by destroying the happiness of others and burying them in the prison of self-doubt and remorse.
We call them “haters”, those who try to thrive by sucking the soul and spirits of others. Except they are not thriving at all, as they continue deviously blowing at the candles of others they are enveloping themselves in a cocoon of bitterness and animus. There is a cost to being a candle blower; even though too many times candle blowers are put on pedestals as society bows before them. In time those who infuse the universe with antipathy and enmity eventually get done in by their own negative energies. No man who thrives by howling flames at their fellow men and women are truly happy. It is, after all, their own brokenness that makes them want to hobble others. Instead of being mad at “haters, in all honesty we should actually hug them because they are hurting children who are throwing temper-tantrums when they attack others.
Ah but there goes the rub! How are we supposed to love those who wake up daily trying to rob us of our joys. We are human after all—we bleed and we hurt—so when someone draws blood and induces agony in our hearts, it is only natural to want to lash back. But we should think twice before doing so; for those who exude negativity love it when we become negative too. We give our hands to those who gnaw at our fingers the minute we decide to clench our fist and swing back. The way to defeat hate is to be love for there is no profit to be made by fighting hatred with hatred. But it’s a bridge too far for too many of us to give love to those who feed us hate and indifference. So if we can’t love our enemies, let us at least ignore those malicious candle blowers and refuse to give in to their malice.
Ignore those who gnaw at our spirits and gnash at our souls and look ahead towards accomplishing our aims. Our time on earth is too short and our lives but a vapor—each minute lost is a time we can never regain. Seriously, avoid even looking at the direction of those who harbor hostility in their hearts and let karma deal with those who blow at the candles of others in order to extinguish their light. Don’t let the judgement of others deter you from your dreams for some love to blow at our candles in order to diminish our hopes. They are only hating on you because you are different and refuse to be mediocre like the candle blowers.
Most of the time society demands conformity and devalues originality. Those who think different and try to blaze their own trails are time and time again tormented and judged at by those who are content with being average. Don’t let anyone blow at your candles; the more light you have, you are bound to draw the darkness of others. This is what the “Sabbath Epistle” topic is for today, to remain always our true light and to not let the antipathy of others subsume us in their darkness. I beseech you, do not listen to candle blowers, every person who has made contributions towards humanity has faced unwanted advise to do something different. Not too many want to drive the car but boy are there endless millions who love to be backseat drivers.
To be honest, there is one sure fire way to know if you are actually succeeding in life. The more you make a difference and the more your light shines, the more you will attract the antipathy of others. Not too long ago I was in a state of utter hopelessness and despair and in that time not too many people we throwing shade my way or maligning my name. It was not until I emerged from the dark hole of depression and people started to see my true light that some started to actively hate on me. Old habits die hard though, for I realized I was investing too much of my time paying attention to my haters. Katt Williams once said “you are not doing something right if you don’t have at least 20 haters” as he used comedy to make light of spiteful souls who love to demolish the hopes of others. The truth is this, they hated on Yeshua (Jesus) who did nothing but feed people and love the masses, so if they hated on Yeshua what makes us think we can escape the contempt of others?
Keep your light strong and know in the end the more your light shines the more you will attract the ill winds of those who love to blow at your candles. Disregard the “advise” of others who are quick to give “help” when in reality their help is a knife covered in a blanket of kindness. Instead, look within yourself and be confident in your abilities and gifts. Then use that gift to shed light to this world not by preaching it but by being the light. Let the pious candle blowers lecture others, let us choose to be the light and let others be drawn towards the light within us. Be the light, not as in complexion or color but a light of love that comes from our creator. Do not let the fire of others either diminish your light or turn your light into flames; instead use your light to put candle blowers to shame through succeeding and making a difference.
“He that goeth about as a gossiper revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.” Proverbs 20:19
“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” Proverbs 10:12
If you want others to tune in and listen to this podcast and love Ghion Journal and what we stand for, share this article on social media and use #CandleBlowers. Enjoy the video, consider that the spoken word aspect of “Sabbath Epistle”, soon in this same post there will be written words to supplement the video. In the end, remember to follow your dreams and don’t listen to the advice of #CandleBlowers
Teodrose Fikre
Teodrose was born in Ethiopia the same year Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by the communist Derg junta. The grand-son of Emperor Atse Tewodros Kassa II, the greatest king of Ethiopia, Teodrose is clearly influenced by the history and his connection to Ethiopia. Through his experiences growing up as first generation refugee in America, Teodrose writes poignantly about the universal experiences of joys, pains and a hope for a better tomorrow that binds all of humanity.
Teodrose has written extensively about the intersection of politics, economic policies, identity, and history. He is the author of "Serendipity's Trace" and newly released "Soul to Soil", two works that inspect the ways we are dissected as a people and shows how we can overcome injustice through the inclusive vision of togetherness.
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