Are You a Candle or a Torch?

George Bernard Shaw started out as a candle.  The Irishman's first five novels were considered failures in the world's eyes.  He didn't care.  He knew he was a torch.  His parents split up.  That didn't stop him from pursuing his dreams.  He wrote more than 60 plays during his lifetime.  He won the Nobel Prize in Literature at age 69.  He was still working on a play when he died at age 94.

Here's a snapshot from his life...

“This is the true joy in life — being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one… being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.

Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to future generations.” 

~ George Bernard Shaw

Here's a question to ponder:  Are you a candle or a torch?  I don't know about you but I feel like building a warm fire today.  Have a great day.