ON CANDLES AND OTHER SUBSTITUTE LIGHTS

ON CANDLES AND OTHER SUBSTITUTE LIGHT
April 23, 1993 - 12:15 p.m.

I used to think that all candles are the same. They are all made of wax, period. With the advent of Blackout, I was exposed to a variety of candles and learned much about them. Candles come in different sizes and shapes but for the purpose of using them as substitute light during blackouts there are important things to keep in mind.

Big candles do not last long necessarily as big candles also drip faster and could be very messy around the house, not to mention that because of their mere weight, big candles have a tendency to tumble down. Vigil candles look good in their beautiful glass containers but are only good the first time around. When vigil candle is put off, its wick dive-in the melted wax and from then on it will be hell trying to revive the drowned wick.

Other candles melt easily and drips messily if not very harmful to the hands that usually catch the hot drops of melted wax. For practical purposes I discovered that the small, recycled red candles found easily in Quiapo are very useful. They are consumed as they burn, the reason they don’t drip at all or very minimal if ever. Their sizes perfectly fit the mouth of a half ounce bottle and are very handy to bring around.

Not every household can afford a generator so, some settle for the more affordable. The most popular is the rechargeable emergency lamp. It is good except that if you have only one, everybody wants it for himself. It usually triggers a quarrel and misunderstanding among members of the family. It could also be easily out of order specially when you need it most.

Lamps powered by LPG are not free from troubles. It is easily clogged and once it starts malfunctioning it is its end. So you turn to the homemade lamps fueled with kerosene but its smoke is very strong pollutant.

You usually end up cursing not the darkness necessarily, not the NAPOCOR or the government, but just cursing anyway because doing so allows you to ventilate and makes you feel a bit lighter. In the long run the best substitute is still the cool, calm and romantic moonlight. Walking through the village during moonlight night is like walking in a dream. You begin to notice glitter of the leaves as you imbibe the sweetness and paleness of the night. You sometimes thank the malfunctioning machinery of NAPOCOR for bringing about the beautiful adventure, which lingers for quite a time even if you are not a lunatic.

In the province, probably a bonfire at the dark yard will yield thrills but doing it everyday whenever there is power cut-off could be boring too.

Back to candles, one must be extra cautious for tiny burning candles forgotten in one corner of the house brought about many big conflagrations.