At the Fireside

I have noticed something about myself when I sit before the dancing flame of a campfire or the flickering blaze in a fireplace.

I listen. Not just with my ears, but with my heart. From sacred scripture to Shakespeare, poets know that flame demands attention to our voice within. Even a solitary candle lit in a chapel or on a humble table hearkens us to open our ears.

Fire is not merely static. Whether we are mezmerized, comforted, calmed, or contemplative, the flame draws us in. Much more than the heat and light it produces, the flame awakens our heart and we begin to listen.

Can you think of anything else that can do this? Neither can I. On the long winter nights, wherever you are, if you have even the smallest flame of only a candle, you have a window to your heart. Listen to what it reveals.