THE DARK CANDLE
There once lived a man whose world revolved around his little daughter. She was his only child—his joy, his hope, his very reason for living. Every smile of hers brightened his day, and every tear of hers troubled his heart.
One day, the little girl fell seriously ill. The man did everything he could to save her. He consulted the best doctors, tried every possible treatment, and prayed endlessly. But despite all his efforts, her illness did not improve. Fate had something else in store.
The little girl passed away.
The man was shattered. His grief consumed him completely. Unable to bear the loss, he withdrew from the world. He stopped meeting friends, abandoned his daily activities, and lived in sorrow and loneliness. His home, once filled with laughter, became silent and lifeless.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.
One night, something extraordinary happened.
The man had a dream.
He found himself in a heavenly place, filled with a soft, divine glow. Before him was a beautiful procession of little children dressed as angels. They walked in a long, endless line, each holding a shining candle. The candles glowed brightly, lighting up the surroundings with warmth and peace.
As he watched closely, his heart skipped a beat.
Among the children, he saw his own daughter.
Overwhelmed with emotion, he rushed towards her. But something troubled him deeply—her candle was not lit.
“Why is your candle dark, my child?” he asked, holding her close.
The little girl looked at him with gentle eyes and replied softly,
“Father, they light my candle again and again… but your tears keep putting it out.”
The man stood still. Her words pierced his heart.
In that moment, he understood.
His endless grief, his constant tears, were not helping her—they were hurting her.
Suddenly, he woke up.
The dream faded, but its message stayed.
From that day onwards, the man changed. He slowly stepped out of his sorrow. He began to meet people again, smile again, and live again. He still loved his daughter deeply—but now, instead of tears, he honoured her with strength and hope.
He made sure that her candle would never go dark again.
Moral of the Story:
Excessive grief does not bring back what is lost; instead, it dims the light of love. True love means letting go with strength and cherishing memories with a peaceful heart.
