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The Dark Candle

A man had a little daughter, an only and much beloved child. He lived
only for her, she was his life.So when she
became ill and her illness resisted the efforts of the best
obtainable physicians, he became like a man possessed,
moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to
health.His best efforts proved fruitless, however, and the child died.
The father was totally irreconcilable. He became a
bitter recluse, shutting himself away from his many
friends, refusing every activity that might restore his poise
and bring him back to his normal self.
Then one night he had a dream. He was in heaven and
witnessing a grand pageant of all the little child angels.
They were marching in an apparently endless line past the
Great White Throne. Every white-robed, angelic tot carried
a candle. He noticed, however, that one child's candle was
not lit. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle
was his own little girl. Rushing towards her, while the
pageant faltered, he seized her in his arms, caressed her
tenderly, and asked, "How is that your candle is the only
one not lit?" "Father, they often relight it, but your tears
always put it out again," she said.
Just then he awoke from from his dream. The lesson was
crystal clear, and it's effects were immediate. From that
hour on he was no longer a recluse, but mingled freely
and cheerfully with his former friends and associates. No
longer would his little darling's candle be extinguished by
his useless tears.

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