Candle

There is something peaceful about a lit candle - the way the flame gracefully moves, the soft light it gives, and its wax body with its ever-changing and transient life.

When I was a child, I used to revel in joy when summer storms knocked the electricity out, because that meant we would be using candles, and candles always gave me the feeling of inner peace and contentment.

These days I am rediscovering the awesomeness of candles as I keep my light-switches at the 'off' position. My whole body and mind relaxes as I brush my teeth, shower, and change my clothes in candle-light. Best of all, I fall asleep much easier as the darkness prepares me mind-and-body for it.

Sometimes what I find most peaceful about the candle is blowing the flame out, and just observing the tip of the wick fade from a fiery red-orange to a tiny pinpoint red, and finally flickers a super-tiny sub-atomic supernova, passing away, retiring into the night.