That Strange, Exciting Feeling
Have you ever found yourself in total darkness with only a candle lighting your way? It’s such a strange, exciting feeling. Growing up on a farm without electricity, I experienced it a lot as a little kid. When everything around you is pitch black, and all you have is a small flame, it’s like your whole world shrinks down to the few steps you can see ahead of you.
It’s thrilling, but there’s also this tension. The candle gives you enough light to move forward, but the shadows around you feel alive, almost like something could jump out at any moment. That’s what makes it so exciting—there’s a real sense of adventure, but also a hint of danger. The light feels fragile, and if the flame goes out, you’re left alone in the dark with nothing.
Your senses go into overdrive. Every small sound feels bigger, every shadow shifts, and you can’t help but wonder what’s out there, just beyond what you can see. That strange mix of anticipation and uncertainty is hard to describe, but it makes you feel fully present, fully alive. It’s not fear exactly, but it’s definitely a rush.
This photo captures that moment for me. That flicker of light in the middle of darkness, when anything feels possible. There’s an edge to it—like you’re on the brink of something unknown, but you’re excited to find out what it is. It’s that strange, exciting feeling that keeps you moving forward, even when you can’t see what’s ahead.
Flicker
In the quiet dark, I hold a flame,
A flicker soft, yet never the same.
It whispers light, a fragile guide,
While shadows stretch and shift, and hide.
The world beyond, unknown, unseen,
A place where fear and thrill convene.
Each step ahead, the edge of night,
The dark, alive just out of sight.
A strange excitement fills the air,
The flame is small, but I don’t care.
For in the dark, I feel the thrill,
Of what could be, of what is still.
The candle leads, a gentle glow,
Yet in the shadows, mysteries grow.
I walk the line, the light my shield,
But to the dark, I never yield.
—Marcia Do Vales
