Trail Light Candles: Bringing Light into the World

I have been meaning to call Sally, the owner of Trail Light Candles, for quite some time. However, life got busy, as it always does, and our interview was postponed. At last, we connected for a conversation right before Candlemas. A tradition in the Catholic Church since at least the fifth century, Candlemas is also known as the Festival of Lights. It marks forty days after Christmas and is also the day of the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the feast of the Presentation of the Christ Child. This year Candlemas falls on Friday, February 2nd. Candlemas is when the candles to be used in church and homes throughout the year are blessed. Could there be a more perfect time to talk about candles?

“The light of the candle reminds us of the hope and joy that we have in Jesus and all that He is and has for us, if we just keep our eyes on Him.” Sally continues by saying that “the light will help lead us down our path and through the darkness in this life.”

I ask Sally if this is how she settled on the name “Trail Light.”

“Yes! You need that light leading the way on your trail every single day. Without it, you will get lost and disoriented, resulting in missing His good and perfect will for your life.” 

There is an element of serendipity in the story behind Trail Light Candles.

“I started making candles in 2018 when a friend of mine introduced the candle business to me. I always loved candles and enjoyed the ambiance of a burning candle as well as its symbolism of a life with Jesus.” While Sally’s friend helped with the process of starting out in the candle business, six years later, Sally does it all. “I am all by myself. I am purchaser, bookkeeper, manufacturer, all of it. My favorite position is as creator of every item that comes out of my little shop.” This busy path has had community-building rewards. “I had no idea what God had planned for me through this. I am given the opportunity to meet many folks and have enjoyed establishing relationships with some of my repeat customers. Getting to know people and their families and being able to be an encouragement to them was something that I had no idea God had planned for all along. It’s been a real blessing.”

The importance of giving back is clear on the Trail Light Candles website. Currently, a dollar from every sale goes to the Animal Welfare Institute. “I’m going to do different organizations every year. I started with the animals simply because we have horses and we have participated in animal rescue for many years. Another take on the Trail Light name, it’s a piece of God and a little piece of our love for horses and animals.”

Trail Light offers candles in dozens of different fragrances. In our Journey to Joy boxes so far, we have used Rose for St. Thérèse, Black Sea for Stella Maris, as well as Frankincense & Myrrh and Green Tea & Lemongrass, and even unscented for our upcoming St. Patrick’s Blessing Box. Sally tells me it is hard for her to pick a favorite fragrance. “I have a sweet tooth, so anything yummy! Although I do love my vanillas and sweet fragrances,  Lavender is a calming, soft floral fragrance that has to be my number one favorite.”

Journey to Joy’s Stella Maris Blessing Box, featuring Trail Light’s Black Sea candle.

At the bottom of the homepage for Trail Light Candles is a passage from the Book of John: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Sally’s love for candle making helps to quite literally bring light into the world. Candles bring comfort, calm, and light, but are also connected to prayer and memory. “Anytime you light a candle, that light can be a reminder to keep our trust, faith, joy and peace in Him through good times and dark times or anything you are going through.”

“It’s about spreading the light, isn’t it?” I ask.

“Absolutely! Jesus has so much for each of us, in turn, to share with others. We can be the light to other people.” As we say goodbye, Sally reminds me that “wherever you end up on that lighted path is where you are meant to be. That’s God’s perfect timing.”

Candlemas is when our family takes down Christmas decorations and stores them away. In our house the Christmas season lasts a very long time! Perhaps to make up for the fact that the rooms in the house are newly dark with the Christmas lights having been taken down, we light our blessed candles and make giant pancakes for dinner every Candlemas. Making pancakes for Candlemas is a French tradition a dear friend once shared with me. Crisp, golden and giant, each pancake resembles the sun. Symbolic of looking ahead to a good harvest, they are also reminiscent of sunshine and the return of warm weather.  Each of my kids get their own plate-filling pancake, bigger even than the little ones’ faces. We glow with the happiness of this liturgical dinner feast. 

So go light candles! Go make pancakes! Keep the path bright as we move through the darkness of winter towards the spring.