Candleflame
I am haunted by consciousness. Mine, yours, everyone’s. That
flickering little candle flame in my head. Sustained by blood born nutrients
and oxygen. No different in living as long as there is fuel to be burned as
that candle flame feeding off wax and oxygen. And when what sustains it is
withheld or exhausted, it just goes out. Consciousness and candle flame alike.
A curl of smoke rising from the fading glow of the wick, or the last breath and
a body slowly cooling. No more fire. No more light. But I've thought of a way
to make that candle burn forever. I lift it from the table, shield it with my
hand, and take it outdoors. There, I hold it up to the night sky, knowing that
the light from that candle in those moments will keep going. Up and out and
farther and farther and on and on. Never ending, a few photons traveling across
the universe, and me standing with that candle, knowing within the scope of
rare improbabilities that somewhere, far away in the future, some consciousness
with a vision sharper than mine might just see that flame. Now the next
question arises, if light can grant immortality to a candle flame, is there
hope for my consciousness? Is there some sustaining wavelength that mind can
harmonize with, independent of brain and blood, and just keep going, up and
out, farther and farther, on and on?
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