The Burning Light: The Paradox of Desire, Attraction, and Ruin.
Insects do not fly towards a dimmed lantern, but towards the brilliance of a shining light. That fluttering of distorted admiration and the attempt to dim it will transcend their own darkness and seal their fate in an embrace of light and fire. ACR
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A. Cortés
9/25/20243 min read
This image will seem familiar, especially on rainy nights when darkness unfolds like a velvet cloak. Outside houses, the streetlamps, meant to guide passersby, barely emit a glimmer, enveloped by a cloud of insects. Drawn to the radiance, they dance frenetically around the light. What drives them? Is it simple fascination, a competition to be the first to reach the light, or a fatal instinct that leads them to a macabre ballet of admiration and desire?
They are unaware that this proximity to the source of light will blind and consume them. But, in their eagerness to possess it, they hurl themselves towards it, only to meet their end in an embrace of fire.
It may sound poetic, but it actually addresses a tragedy: the profound reality of human envy. Like insects drawn to the streetlamp, there are those who feel irresistibly captivated by the brilliance of others. They observe the success, talent, and happiness of others with a mixture of admiration and resentment. The light that emanates from others dazzles them, making them feel small and insignificant in comparison..
Envy, like an inner flame, consumes the one who harbors it. It blinds people to their own virtues, making them forget their achievements and fixating them on what others possess and they lack. Instead of celebrating the success of others, they feel threatened by it. Instead of being inspired by the brilliance of others, they seek ways to extinguish it. This is why philosophy and psychology often consider envy a form of distorted admiration that transforms the envier's perception of reality.
This struggle against the light of others is a battle lost before it begins. Envy wears down, steals energy, and prevents progress on one's own path. Envious individuals become shadows that flutter around the flame, unable to find their own light.
The story of the fluttering insects teaches us that true happiness lies not in extinguishing the light of others, but in igniting our own. Each of us is created in the image of God and "is endowed with a faculty similar to that of the Creator: individuality, the power to think and to do..." (Ed. 16). We all carry a unique potential that waits to be discovered and developed.
Instead of comparing ourselves to others, we should focus on cultivating our talents, pursuing our dreams, and building our own happiness.
Jesus urged us to "shine before all": "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16 NIV). And here he is not referring to a borrowed light; to eclipsing or stealing the brilliance of others, but to the light that emanates from oneself; from our authenticity and our purpose in life.
When we focus on developing our potential, we cease to be moths or insects attracted to another's light and become lanterns that illuminate the path for ourselves and for others. Self-improvement is not about competing with others, but about collaborating and growing together. Celebrating the successes of others inspires and motivates us to achieve our own goals; recognizing the value in others allows us to also appreciate the value in ourselves.
Envy is a trap that confines us in darkness. True freedom is found in embracing our own light and sharing it with the world. Don't let envy consume you. Ignite your inner flame and shine with your own light.
Jesus said: “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house