The quest of a flame

This is the story of a glowing, warm flame floating on the lawless winds of emotions and relationships in his quest to find an abode. A place where he would be himself, where he would spread his boundless warmth and where his light would be sheltered.

Ever since he was a tiny glitter, he lit many a dark corner. Some times at the risk of getting extinguished. As he grew, he worked hard to shine benignly in desolate and cold nights bringing warmth and joy to those near him.

Every once in a while, he’d look within and feel a sliver of darkness.

The flame had been on this quest for a long time. He was weary and his patience was wearing thin. At long last, he stumbled upon a place. As he wandered in it, he felt that it could be the abode he so desperately longed for. It was a pleasant, happy place with no apparent sign of darkness. He would blend right in!

He’d been yearning for so long that he had lost all reason. Was it his impatience and desperation that made him feel this way, or was it more? Only time would tell.

The flame started to settle and blend in. He felt like this was finally going to work out. There was joy yes, but even in this abundance of brightness, he would feel the darkness within. He would flutter with perplexity. Perhaps he just wasn’t used to the idea of a perpetual state of contentment? Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be? He pondered every now and then.

During the early years, the winds of emotions would some times carry the flame away to other places. One of these places had a mysterious lure. He relished being there. He would be more himself here than back home, but it was ephemeral. It would slip away every time he tried to grab on to it. The flame eventually felt that this arrestingly lucrative environ was beyond what he deserved. So he moved away, and returned to the familiar surroundings of his abode. He spent what felt like forever in this abode and flourished in every way the world saw him. What no one saw was that the flame’s brightness and warmth continued to dim. Slowly but gradually, the darkness grew.

An era passed. The flame almost forgot who he was, and went about whatever warmth he could spread with his dimmed light.

Out of nowhere, on one atypical day the winds of relationships carried him back to the place where he truly belonged. His light shone brighter, and his warmth was felt wider. Although transient again, he started to rediscover himself in this place, to remember what being whole felt like. This conundrum addled his thoughts. Does he abandon the place he called his abode for so long and make a dash for where he truly belonged? What would the abandonment do to his home of many years? Was it a choice he had? What if this luring destination did not have a permanent space for him?

After much deliberation and reflection he decided to set aside all his bewilderment, to embark on a journey to extinguish the darkness within and hopefully to glow brighter than ever before. Then and only then would he be who he truly was, and perhaps belong in a place that would embrace him back.