Build a Fire
It’s been roughly two months since us Ohioans were told that we should stay home unless engaged in essential work or activities.
This is truly a unique downtime where we still feel stress and anxiety, even though our workload has been reduced or eliminated.
Our new stress producer has come in the loss of control of our normal lives and the uncertainty of what tomorrow may bring.
So a few weeks back, I leaned on an old African remedy for relaxation and family bonding that I learned while in Ethiopia… building a fire!
No - not in the basement or garage, but outside in a safe place where you can see the stars.
I was fortunate 20 years ago to be traveling in Ethiopia in the Omo Valley, where Dr. Leaky discovered the earliest known human skeleton, Lucy. After hiking all day with the local natives, we would find ourselves - at the end of each day - huddled around a fire. When I asked my guide about this tradition, he said all of the various villages would end their days dancing, singing, or just plain sitting around a fire, as they felt it released the negative energy from their bodies. The natives also believed the Soul of the tree was released as smoke, which aided in their relaxation… remember, no Netflix there!
Years later, while in Indian Guides with my sons, I was usually in charge of our tribe’s evening campfires on our camp-outs. The fires proved to be a great way to throttle down the braves and focus our troop with great storytelling before turning into our tents. Many of our young members are now in their twenties and still remember their Indian Guide fires and how important they felt the campfires were in developing their appreciation of nature and the camaraderie that was formed within our tribe.
What is it about the dancing tongues of fire consuming the logs and creating a cascading color of embers that so mesmerizes us as we stare into a fire? Is it the various smells or the warmth that we enjoy most? A few weeks back, my family and I sat for almost three hours around our fire pit (social distancing respected)… sometimes talking, sometimes cooking a few S’mores, and sometimes enjoying long periods of silence.
I’ve often thought times of silent contemplation may be more beneficial for the soul than constant conversation. During this time of quarantine, we have all found value in the simpler and yes - less expensive - things in life. Considering the glut of dead wood this Spring, nothing could be cheaper than a simple fire… and maybe… just what the doctor ordered.
- Dr. P