The Candlesticks

Recently, while Bella and I were on our afternoon walk, we saw a cardboard box by the curb. I couldn’t really make out the contents, but Bella tugged on the leash. She just had to go over and sniff it. As we approached the box, the contents began to emerge. There was a “free” sign on the box, so I decided to take a closer look. Two colorful objects were sticking out of the box. When I approached the box, I realized they were a pair of candlesticks. So I picked one up.

These were not ordinary candlesticks and they were beautiful. Porcelain, delicately, deliciously and painstakingly painted by a human. At first they seemed the same, But when I looked closer, they were not. Like humans, these candlesticks are similar but not the same.

The “free” sign convinced me to take them and that I did. As Bella and I continued on our way. After a bit, we saw this white-haired man walking a white-haired dog. He and I connected with our smiles and our eyes. I walked across the street and said hello to the guy and his dog. Then, out of nowhere, he asked:

“Hey, you been to New Orleans lately?”

“No. Actually I’ve never been there;” I continued, “been all around the Gulf when I played keys in the 80s with the Okaysions in the 80’s, but not New Orleans.” Then he says:

“Well it sounds really bad down there these days. I moved from there a few years ago when the blacks started carjacking cars. Now I hear its really getting bad. The blacks are carjacking cars like crazy now.” Not missing a beat, I pivoted, saying:

“Wow, have you heard about the street car races here in LA? People have been injured and actually killed.” He replied,

“Oh yeah, it’s pretty bad, I know.” Here was my chance to take this up a notch. This 82 year old white man and I shared this feeling in that moment. So, I pivoted this conversation by saying,

‘You know, look at us. We’re old. And we have these wonderful creatures we call dogs. I bet when you hold your dog, it feels so good, right? Aren’t they amazing? They’re like miracles.”

He agreed. In that moment he and I connected deeply. We shared a love experience that has no bounds. Unconditional in nature, this love energy defined us as it moved us away from our judgmental thoughts and and showed us how to agree on Joy showing up as God. When I got home, I placed the candlesticks on the mantel in the living room. In that moment, I knew they contained the Joy of the connection that we made with our dogs and each other. This Joy never goes away. It is now ensconced in the candlesticks, eagerly ready to exude Joy to those whose awareness allows perception of that Joy. Those who see the candlesticks will receive the Joy.

This is the Law of Attraction at work. That Joy energy snaked through the man, myself, the dogs and continued into those seemingly solid candlesticks. How can Joy penetrate inanimate objects? Actually, how can Joy not be in them? After all, the porcelain, the paint, the human design manifestation and the Joy of beholding the beautiful final outcome, i.e., the candlesticks; they all come together the moment Joy is recognized by any and all who are present. This is the nature of God as Joy.