"I remember when the candle shop burned down. Everyone stood around singing 'Happy Birthday.'"

This quote by Steven Wright is a funny take on a terrible event. The candle light store burning down is a metaphor for something that has actually been lost, and individuals standing around singing 'Happy Birthday' is a way of expressing the bittersweetness of the circumstance. It is a reminder that even in the midst of catastrophe, there can be moments of happiness and event. The quote likewise talks to the power of cumulative memory and how we can come together to keep in mind and honor the important things that have actually been lost. It is a suggestion that even in the darkest of times, we can still discover minutes of pleasure and hope.