114th Edition
Magic within the flickering flames
Ever since I was a very young boy, I’ve been enthralled by campfires. I have many fond memories of listening to ghost stories while nestled in a comfortable chair close enough to hear the snap and crackle of hand-split, dry pieces of wood. The flickering flames and glowing coals offering comfort and warmth against the chill of the night.
The flames always seemed alive to me, even magical as they danced and flickered. For thousands of years man has sought warmth and comfort around campfires. Survival sometimes depended upon being able to start one or keep one going. A few years ago, we hiked the Lolo Trail, following in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark expedition. One night around a roaring campfire high in the Bitterroot mountains, one of our guides, who happened to be a professional actor, portrayed Captain Clark and entertained us with stories of their famous journey in 1805.
On numerous occasions I’ve had very deep conversations around a campfire. Once a friend and I talked nearly to the next morning about the Rodney King incident and social justice along with how difficult it was to be a police officer. We look back now, forgetting the relative validity of our personal viewpoints but grateful for the experience of candid, respectful dialogue.
Other times I’ve listened to the wisdom of a person who was thoughtful enough to share their views with me. I’ve even spent time around a fire listening to younger people who felt compelled to state their contentions about life as they saw it at that moment in their ongoing maturation and development. Confident in their opinions but still in need of affirmation. Shouldn’t every young person be encouraged to spend more time in serious contemplation?
The power or magic of a campfire is its simplicity and absence of sound or visual distraction from any other source. Campfires typically don’t lend themselves to Wi-Fi, cell phones, or cable TV, nor even to reading a book. Conversation and contemplation naturally replace the noise and clutter of our electronic and over-connected routines. Unplug and dream, or wonder, or question anything and everything of which our mind is capable. In my experience there can be a holy or divine presence in conversation and contemplation that occurs without distractions or guardrails.
Around campfires, vulnerability and authenticity don’t seem quite as daunting. It helps, I think, to be able to glance skyward and see a star-filled sky. The immensity of it all and the realization we aren’t the center, can produce an amazing inner peace. On cloudy nights there are still the sounds of nature, birds flittering about, chirping because they need to or maybe just because they can. I doubt they worry about things they can’t control.
On rare nights, where I now live, I sometimes hear the unmistakable hoot of a barred owl. Its sound is penetrating and authoritative, producing utter silence as all other creatures take notice of its presence. It’s remarkable to witness. A gift from nature. A reminder, too, that silence is indeed golden, and God is still in control. That anything troublesome in our lives is not part of God’s ultimate plan for us, nor will disappointment, in any form, follow us into eternity.
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Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.