flames

Yesterday morning, I was thinking about John and people like him, who have severe illnesses.  There is one thing that is very different for them:  Most of us have no idea about the length of our lives; they pretty much know theirs will be shorter.
As I considered this, this word came to me:
There are different kinds of flames.  Some burn for a long time.  They usually exude warmth,and softer light.  Then there are flames that burn very brightly:  Fireworks, for example,  They show off their pretty colors and shapes; then they’re gone.
John was a bright flame.  He impacted hundreds of people in his 23 years of life.
What kind of flame are you?  Do you burn more slowly, warming, giving comfort and energy?  Are you a brighter sort?
There are different kinds of fire for a reason.  We need the soft, comforting ones; the moderate kinds and the bright flames that really get our attention.  We may not know the number of our days, but we can be the very best flames possible, burning according to the ways in which we are designed.

May each of us live with purpose; may we embrace our unique expressions and bring our light to the world.