When Candles Talk Program

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WHEN CANDLES TALK ~ Program

Instruction: This program requires an attractive box with a lid; a

candleholder; book of matches; a new grey, green, pink, red and blud

candle; a broken candel; and a very used white candle. Also this

program is most effective done in semi-darkness and aflashlight may be

needed for the " candle voices " to read their parts. Samll candles may

be used for the closing circle at the program's end.

PROGRAM: ~ NARRATOR: This is a story shared one evening at a TOPS

chapter that I visited. It was told by a member whose Mother told it

to her granddaughters on lonely evenings when the world didn't look

like a very bright and happy place. She had a beautiful box of magic

candles in the attic, which she brought out at such times. These

candles talked! Of course, the little girls were doubtful at first.

Then Grandma brought out the first candle ~ a beautiful grey one ~

and set it up proudly in the candleholder and struck a match to light

it. Suddenly, the candle spoke!

GREY CANDLE: Oh please, don't light me! I don't want to be lit. I'd

rather be left alone. Put me back in the box, away in a corner

somewhere so I can be by myself. Truly, I just want to be left alone

and not bothered.

NARRATOR: The little girls were speechless. Not only did the candle

talk, but it had a very definite opinion! Grandma saw the puzzled lok

on the girls' faces as she carefully returned the grey candle to the

box. Grandma then said. " Girls, did you know that there are many

people in the world just like the grey candle? They don't want to be

bothered. They are completely unconcerned about the needs of others

or they just don't care. " Grandma asked the girls if they would like

to hear another candle. They nodded excitedly, and Grandma reached

into the pretty box and brought out a dull green candle, placed it in

the holder, struck a match, and prepared to light it. Just as she

reached the wick, the candle spoke!

GREEN CANDLE: Oh, please, whatever you do, don't light me! Light one

of the others. They will shine much brighter than I will. Please

pick another one.

NARRATOR: Grandma explained to the girls that there are people like

the green candle. When asked to serve, they always come back with

" Oh, don't ask me to do that, somebody else can do it better than I

can. " They feel amost no responsibility. Grandma replaced the green

candle and brought out a pretty pink one from her box. Placing it in

the holder, she brought the flame from the match to the wick. The

candle drew back quickly.

PINK CANDLE: Because, you see, it would ruin me if I were burned. I

was not made to be lit - just to be admired. If you put a atch to me,

I would be a mess. My tallow would run and I would be a frightful

sight. So, please, don't light me!

NARRATOR: We have all seen people like the pink candle - people who

don't want to be soiled. The are perfectly satisfied to sit primly

by but are nowhere around when there's work to be done. The little

girls were beginning to wonder if there was a single candle in

Grandma's box that was willing to be lit. Grandma, sensing their

feelings, brought out the broken candle, and one of the little girls

asked, " What happened to you? "

BROKEN CANDLE: Oh, I had bad luck. When the weather was warm, I

warped a little, and when someone tried to straighten me out, she

broke me. I am just as miserable as can be. I don't know what to do.

I'm just in no shape at all.

NARRATOR: I'll bet you recognize some common girpes in listening to

this candles' woes. All of us know people who keep giving one excuse

after another. Grandma gave a sad little smile and replaced the

broken candle as she picked up a bright red one and placed it in the

holder. The girl's eyes sparkled as they said " Oh, Grandma, this is

the candle we want to light. Please, red candle, let us light you

tonight.!

RED CANDLE: Wait a minute, ladies. What's the big occasion?

NARRATOR: Grandma looked at the red candle as she struck the match

and said, " Oh, there's no special occasion. We just thought your light

would be really pretty tonight.

RED CANDLE: My, my, my, What a pitiful waste that would be if you

were to light me tonight when no one else but you three were here to

appreciate my beauty. Can't you see I was made to shine at some big

party or special occasion?

NARRATOR: Do you know people who only offer this kind of service -

when there is a chance to shine above all others and receive more

recognition? Unless there is glory attached, there is no need to call

on the red candle. As Grandma replaced the red candle and took out

the pale blue one, the girls wondered if this candle would say " no "

like all the others. This candle was slow to speak.

BLUE CANDLE: Well, I'm not sure about all this. You have already

asked all those other candles before you got around to asking me. I

would have been glad to help if you had asked me first!

NARRATOR: You must have seen this type many times, I'm sorry to say.

The type that will not be part of anything if there is the faintest

hint of a rumor that she or he wasn't the first choice. Let's hope

there aren't too many of these people around. Replacing the blue

candle in the box, Grandma brought out the very last candle - a worn,

stubby, somewhat shabby white one and placed it in the holder.

WHITE CANDLE: Please, light me!

NARRATOR: This is hard to believe. The girls asked in unison. " What

did it say? "

WHITE CANDLE: Please light me! I shall shine as brightly as any

candle you ever saw. Candle are made to be lit. So, please use me.

This is my whole reason for being. Don't worry about using me up. I

am here to serve well and light your dark moments. This is my

purpose.

NARRATOR: At last Grandma lit a candle and the room filled with a

lovely soft glow. This is the dedicated, unselfish service she and

the girls had been looking for. Is this the kind of service you

offer? Looking back at the other candles in the box, do we see

ourselves lying there in the darkness? Are some of us like the grey

candle? We don't want to be bothered. Are we like the green candle,

always putting the job off on someone else " who can do it better "

before we even try. Perhaps some see themselves in the pink candle,

refusing to help because we might get our hands dirty. Then there are

the broken candles - full of excuses about why they can't help. Maybe

there is a red candle or two in the group - those who only volunteer

when there is something special in it for them. Or some might see

themselves in the blue candle, refusing to serve because they are not

picked first. Let's hope most of us are like the white candle,

ready and willing to serve whenever and wherever needed to the best of

our abilities. Let us hope that all the members of our chapters are

striving to be like the white candles, shining whatever light they can

to help every other member along the difficult road that lies ahead.

Our chapters will only glow as brightly as every member allows it to.

If most refuse to be it and are kept in the dark box, we will have

trouble finding our way, and the few white candles that remain will be

burned up too quickly, leaving darkness. So, share the load of

service and keep the light glowing brightly, not only in your heart

but in your chapter for all the world to see hopw proud you are to

take your part in TOPS!

(Members should gather ion a circle and join hands, lighting small

candles if desired)

NARRATOR: You take my hand and I'lll take yours and we'll start out

today, for a helping hand is what we need to help us on the way. the

road to goal is a lonely road, we need someone to care. So reach out,

my friend, and take my hand, then we're almost there.