Not forever, but still worth it

There was a house I lived in as a child called the Arbor. One of our daily tasks there was making candles. We poured warm wax, trimmed wicks, labeled, wrapped, numbered and stacked box after box until hundreds were ready to ship. No name on the label. No recognition. The candles were made to burn down and disappear.

I wrestled with that sometimes. So much work, so much repetition, and in the end, nothing remained. But what I see now is that their purpose wasn’t permanence. Their purpose was light.

I think about that every time I walk through the homes we build today. The walls may stand for generations, but within them, life keeps moving. Children grow. Paint fades. Families change. And still, it is worth building.

The same is true as I write Dreams That Matter. Spoken words may slip away, but on paper, they hold long enough to reach another heart. Even books won’t last forever, yet they are still meant to make an impact.

The candle shop at the Arbor taught me that value isn’t measured only by how long something lasts. A candle that burns down still lit the dark. A home that holds generations will outlast paint, seasons, and change. And the lives that pass through it—the laughter, the growth, even the goodbyes—are what make it all matter.

A story remembered by even one person still carries weight. And so does the way you spend your time today. The moments, choices, and work you pour yourself into may not last forever, but they are shaping something real. They are shaping you, and they are shaping the lives touched by yours.

So as you step into the day, ask yourself:

What am I choosing to build with my time, and will it matter in the ways that count most?

-Jasmine