Building the Fire

How many of you have been outside in the last year and building a fire? A small campfire or a raging bonfire or even a fire in a good old fashion charcoal grill?

If you have, you understand that there is a sacredness to it. An ancient ceremony that we all internally understand. A few years ago I had a few young people staying at one of my cabins and after they had left I opened the wood stove to take out the ashes. Inside the stove was a big hardwood log and about 20 matches on and around it. I really had to start laughing. They wanted instant gratification and ancient fire won't play that way. It wants to be tended and it wants to be coaxed into giving you that beautiful glow and warmth. It is not a prostitute who just puts out you know.

Just like anything in life that is worth while, it takes time, patience and effort!

It doesn't matter whether you are building a fire, making a soup or making love. You start small and tend to it, you give it a little more attention and ingredients and over time it will become a raging inferno, a delicious soup or a wonderful relationship.

Patience is one of the main ingredients and we have very little these days. Instant gratification is the name of the game, a game we are destined to lose big time.

But perspectives are changing all over the planet. We have a tipi, a pretty big one and very regularly we have friends over, often times with kids and we cook a meal over an open fire. The kids are always entranced by the fire and the food is just amazing every single time. But the best part is always that it creates space and time. It creates community and togetherness. It also creates patience and conversations.

The old ways become modern again just by slapping on a new name:

Slow Food = Cooking at home

Forest Bathing = Walking on the woods

Composting = (I don't even think my mom had a word for that, it was just always done)

Fermenting = Putting food away for winter

And many more ...

The old ways are ready to come back and people are craving it. We all know deep inside of our hearts that everything that creates a deeper connection to each other and to nature is in our favor and everything else is just temporary and will not stand the test of time.

When we are long gone, there will still be fire... tend it wisely now!

I love you all dearly and blessings to all 🙏❤️