Why We Love Candles

Candle next to a cheese board

Candles. Why do we love them so much?

For me, a deep love of candles is simply a given. I'm trying to weigh in what the key reason is, but I find it hard to be succinct. Honestly it is like saying why do you like the sun?

The simple act of lighting a candle instantly transforms not only a space, but a mood and a feeling.

Lighting a candle
Candles can’t help themselves…they bring romance and passion, mystery, hope and a feeling of calm.

They bring a feeling of security, warmth and tranquility. Scented candles help smooth that part of the brain that is home to all memories and emotion.

A lit candle in a bathroom

Candlelight reduces stress and gives a feeling of inner peace.

They just make you feel good.

In our home I always have loved candles to be lighted on our dining room table.

No matter what chaos was going on before dinner I try to encourage our evening meal time to be calm and relaxing.

Candlelight and good music to me are as important as what we eat.
One of my favorite stories of child raising was one time when my son Aubrey, who was nine years old at the time came out to the studio where I was madly silk-screening. I still had at least an hour of work to do that was time sensitive and I was stressed out, working as quickly as I could, knowing full well our
three kids would be getting hungry for dinner. Aubrey, bless his heart, came to see if I could hurry the process along as his belly was saying dinner! I explained to him that I had to complete this work but if he could get dinner started things would go much better. Very briefly I described how I make a stir-fry with
peanut sauce and how to cook rice. Aubrey said OK and went left me with my work.

The memory of walking into the house one hour later, tired and frazzled to what beheld me is as vivid at this moment as it was 28 years ago. Not only had Aubrey prepared the suggested dinner and cleaned as he went in the kitchen, he had set the table, opened a bottle of wine for Don and I, put on jazz music
and lit the candles on the table! I washed my hands, sat down, looked at the flickering candlelight and thought life is good.

After all these years I still value the beauty of candle light and make sure we take time to decompress to the golden flickering candlelight at the end of each day. It is a simple pleasure but for sure one that only brings joy. So, go on, light a candle, you deserve it!

With love,

Suzanne xo

A girl holding a lit candle


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