It’s been a week of ups and downs, and next week will continue the trend with a funeral and family gatherings. Thursday night I decided that what I really needed was to grill out, and have a fire. There’s something simple and homey about food cooked with fire, and then sitting by a warming fire as the sun sets. When the wife and I go camping we often just sit by the fire and read or talk as the evening descends.

It’s almost healing. You’re finding a way to disconnect from the day to day rigors of life and connect with something primal. Fire is that element that brought power to mankind, elevating them above the animal. Yet we’ve mastered it (for the most part) and now it becomes something that soothes and calms us, keeping us warm and comfortable.

Tonight was a night for a fire, and I’m grateful for the peace it brings.