Accidentally Adaptive: Electric Lighter

I’m back with another Accidentally Adaptive post, where I share all about a mainstream product that “accidentally” has an adaptive use for me as a disabled woman.

Sometimes when people ask me, as a woman with a disability, to explain the things that I need help with, I say that I need help with all the little things that other people probably do without a second thought. This includes lots of thing big day-to-day things, but also something as small as lighting a candle. I love candles! But I don’t have the strength to strike a match or push down the lever on a typical lighter. That’s why I was so excited when I found this electric lighter.

An electric candle lighter is in front of a lit Rewined Rose candle, both sitting on a stack of coffee table books. The books include: Two Warhol-related books, a Queer Eye book, and HRH by Elizabeth Holmes.

How to Use the Electric Lighter

I love this rechargeable electric lighter! It’s incredibly easy to use. The design is great – it’s lightweight, so it’s easy to pick up and maneuver. The extra gooseneck part of it makes it even easier to use, because you can bend the neck and adjust it to whatever angle you need to be able to reach the wick of the candle. Whenever you’re ready to light the candle, you turn the on / off switch to on (this switch saves the battery and keeps it from accidentally getting turned on when not in use) and hold in the power button. Both the switch and the button are really easy to press – they don’t take much strength at all. There are indicator lights that let you know how much battery is left – when it gets low, it just gets recharged via a USB cord. It’s so simple.

Why I Love the Electric Lighter

I love the act of lighting a candle – the ritual of it, the nice little flickering glow, and of course, the scent! It’s a small thing that adds a lot to the atmosphere. My favorite candles are from Hotel Lobby, but I’m running low – this rose scent from Rewined is also great. Now, is it a big deal to have someone else light a candle for me? Of course not. But I have to ask for help doing lots of things, all day long. I spend a lot of time in the bottom floor of our house, so when I want help with something, I have to call my mom or dad to come down and help. Sometimes, it just doesn’t seem worth it to have my mom come down just to light a candle. So I tell myself I’ll just ask her to light it the next time she comes down… and most of the time, I forget!

So the electric candle lighter gives me back a little piece of my independence. It’s one less thing I need to ask for help with. It may be small, but I treasure each and every little bit of independence that I have! Even something as small as lighting a candle. Now, with the electric lighter, I can light all the candles I want, whenever I want, all by myself.

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