From The Embers

Sitting by a camp fire one evening, he came to a stark realization; he wasn’t nearly as engaged in life as he had once been. He wasn’t neglecting himself or anyone else, but his engagement, his involvement, and maybe his usual zest for life had slipped a bit. Some minor health issues over a few years slowed him down a bit. A world-wide pandemic added some caution and reserve. He was also increasingly aware of his age; he was over 40. 

As he watched the fire that evening, he was still amazed at how much better a campfire burned around a fire tower.  The fire tower was something he had invented more than a decade earlier.  Its simple design and sturdy construction allowed for a far more efficient and effective fire, with less ash and a simpler clean up. It was a great design idea which he had turned into a reality. He was pleased to see that it was still working and working well. And truth be told he was proud of the fact that it was his idea and his design. It was one of several ideas he had had over the years that he turned into a useful and enjoyable project.  He hadn’t done one in several years.

The more he thought about his declining engagement in life, some very revealing signs came to mind. Breaks and opportunities that used to come to him, were becoming really rare. He wasn’t nearly as active as he had once been. The general landscape of his business was changing a little each year. He was still comfortable in the 20^th century, but his business was operating in the 21^st.  Even so he was willing to accept an it’s-good-enough mindset. 

His efforts to take care of himself physically had slacked off.  Any meaningful exercise was now more happenstance than by purposeful design. The same was true for his intellectual growth and his emotional wellbeing. This once avid reader, had become more of a TV and internet consumer. His social interactions, something that had always been important to him, had also diminished. And then there was his level of creativity and hobbies that he had all but abandoned.

Sitting by his fire he was comfortable. The warmth from the fire tower was welcome.  That’s when he told himself that maybe he had done his bit for years, and it was time to settle into a comfortable, safer, easier routine. He had done the heavy lifting. Metaphorically, he likened the warmth of fire to the comfort of accepting a less active role in his own life. He told himself that it was time to be content with what life brought his way, live satisfied with what is, and let life play out. 

As the fire died down, there was nothing but ash and embers left. In the quiet still of the night, the all but extinguished fire was a fitting metaphor for how he viewed his role in the next phase of his life. But the next morning, fortunately for him, that same fire brought him to a new metaphorical realization. 

With a cup of coffee in hand, he went out to start a new fire. He meant to take some newspaper and some matches to begin the process, but he forgot them. As he stirred the smoldering pile of gray ash under the fire tower, a small cluster of glowing embers emerged. He threw a hand full of kindling on the embers, fanned it with his hat, and soon there was a flame. From that small flame, he again had a fire going. He didn’t need the matches and newspaper. The embers were more than enough.

Looking at what had happened when he stirred the embers, he rethought the conclusion he had drawn the previous evening about the fire and the comfort it provided. He saw that even though the fire was out, embers of that fire remained ready to be reignited. In that moment, in the light of a new day, he came to a different awareness. Maybe it was time for him to look inside of himself and his business, look for some embers, add a little fresh kindling, fan it a bit, and see what happens.  

Sometime rekindling an ember within you can spark a flame that will reignite a fire that once burned within you. That fire can warm you and those around you. Regardless of your age, your challenges, your resources, or your station in life, don’t be too quick to assume that your fire is out. Before accepting that cold reality, look inside for some embers to rekindle what makes your life fascinating, meaningful, and purposeful. You may be very pleasantly surprised with what you’ll find!