The weather was terrible that night.The summer thunderstorm had knocked out the power.Luckily,there was enough candlelight flickering on the kitchen table.With the  candlelight,I could see the card I was writing to my husband's cousins in Finland. Dear Heli and Risto, You are on my mind tonight because we are using the candles you gave us when you visited us two years ago.There was a horrible summer thunderstorm this evening and the power went out,and your candles were just what we needed.They have lit our dinnertime,the bedrooms and now I am sitting by one in the kitchen... What I didn't say to Heli and Risto is that we never burned the candles before because they,well,smell like a campfire.And so they stood in iron candlesticks until we needed them. I'm so thankful that we had candles on hand that dark night.And I'm equally as thankful that I had a beautiful card on hand,too,or I would have let the opportunity to keep in touch with faraway family escape.It would have turned into another one of those moments when the thought of sending a card crossed my mind but never actually happened. The candle burned slowly.After I finished my card to Finland,I enjoyed looking through the rest of my "Someone Cares" greeting cards.The air was fresh and cool,and I had cards and enough light to write.I found a birthday card for my nephew's 10th birthday,a thinkingofyou card for my aunt,and a fun greeting card for an old friend and I began writing.Candles and cards--two things that make a thunderstorm into the perfect storm. Lighting the candles in the stormy night made the writer  _  .
know who was the most important person to her know how to make her boring life interesting value her  s and friends more believe everyone could be happy