Lighting the Way

I love candles. They give me pleasure and they are a part of my spiritual life. It probably all started when I was growing up as a Catholic. Lighting candles in cobalt blue glass holders in front of a statue of Mary always gave me peace. It still does.

Plus, for thirty-five years, I have lit a candle on our dining room table whenever my husband and I sit down for dinner. It is a touch of color and light that signals “enjoy this special time, this gift of food, this gift of being together.” So it came as no surprise that when a friend gave me my first glassybaby, I was hooked.

glassybabys are hand blown glass votive candle holders. They originate from a Seattle based company, which has stores on the West Coast and a wonderful on-line presence. Each votive is one of a kind, or as the company says, “one of a kindness.” A portion their sales goes to charity. They are colorful, elegant, and solid, and each has a name or theme. Along with our dinner ritual, I light one whenever a friend is in need or when I need a little inspiration. They have been busy of late.

I have many scattered around our California home and even one up here in Idaho. “Angel,” in soft yellow, stands in front of a little prayer station I’ve created. Another is called “Begin Again” in soft grey blue. One named “Power” I bought as I was walking home from the first Women’s March last year in San Francisco. My red “Joy” (!) I bought when I started this website/blog adventure. I light whichever one seems to carry the appropriate intention for the day.

This past week we were in a Ketchum restaurant and the white candle holders on the tables looked suspiciously like glassybabys. The restaurant was quite dark so I turned on my cell phone flashlight to oh-so-subtly read the embossing on the bottom of the candle holder to see if I was right. Seeing my moves, two women sitting next to us said, “Do you think they’re glassybabys?” One of the women lived near Seattle so she knew her glassybabys! Indeed, it was.

Today’s adventure? I’m going to the Sun Valley Lodge store, which carries glassybabys, “just to window shop,” she says. I wonder what theme or color will draw me. “Strength” comes up or is it “Faith” or is it a luscious fall color. I’ll keep you posted…