Some weeks slip by quietly, and then something stops you in your tracks. This week, it was a bouquet of flowers.
Last week marked five years since I became the owner of Door County Candle. I had been holding that milestone close to my heart all week—five years feels like both a breath and a lifetime. And then, right on that special day, something arrived that made it even more meaningful.
A longtime customer and dear friend—Bill—sent me a bouquet of flowers to mark the occasion.
I met Bill during my very first year at the shop. He came in one afternoon and picked out a Lily of the Valley candle. He told me it reminded him of his wife, who he had recently lost. That candle wasn't just wax and a wick to him—it was a way to keep her close, to fill his home with something that felt like her. We bonded that day, and he's been a special part of my life ever since.
So when those flowers arrived on our anniversary, with a note congratulating me and celebrating the day, my heart just about melted. Bill had been holding this milestone in his heart too—and that meant the world to me.
Every time he walks through our door, I'm reminded that Door County Candle has never really been about candles. It's about the people. The stories. The impact. The quiet moments of comfort we get to be a small part of.
Bill has taught me something I want to carry into this week, and I hope you will too: kindness is in the remembering. It's noticing the days that matter to someone else. It's showing up gently, without being asked. He is, in himself, a beautiful lesson in how to be a good human.
This week, I invite you to remember someone. Send the note. Mark the day. Show up for the people who fill your life with light.
💛 Christiana
