Playing with Fire

None one remembers the number of times during childhood an adult advised us not to grasp a fragile item in a store, grab with a precious keepsake in a relative’s home, or touch a hot stove. We’ve heard Smokey Bear’s advice on not playing with matches or fires, and at some point, we’ve ignored the warnings. Watch a community ignore that well-meaning advice:

                                         https://youtu.be/5cg6Gl7SzAQ

This fiery, annual festival in El Salvador commemorates a volcanic eruption that occurred decades ago. Despite the potential for injury, the community relishes fighting fire with fire as spectators continue to support the friendly cultural tradition. Although the festival lacks rules, police and medical staff stand by to handle issues that might arise. Who stands by you to ensure you don’t get burned in life?

No News is Good News

They say no news is good news, and that’s often true. I usually don’t hear from our kids while they’re at school, but one of them called home one afternoon. Imagine my surprise when a calm voice said, “Hi. My school is on fire.” After some explanation, I discovered that everyone had been safely evacuated, and in fact, the school wasn’t on fire. The smoke originated from something near the school. Crisis averted. Life returned to normal as the students marched back inside.

It’s a good I could receive that call. Accessibility for emergencies is good, but non-stop accessibility is not. We’re constantly connecting to people and digesting news feeds through our electronics. Regularly disconnecting from it all allows us to find our happy place. Maybe yours looks like this:    

                                     https://youtu.be/qr8WOtf8V4I

It’s hard to tell who enjoyed the situation more—the shoveler or the spectator. If you’ve found a different kind of happy place, how do you get there?

               

Fire Power

I’m a chicken. Here ’s why:  I love it when we warm up the house with a blazing fire inside the fireplace on wintry days, but I pass on lighting them. So, when I say we, I actually mean my husband.  I’ll add logs to keep the fire burning but as for starting a hot, three-hundred degree house-warmer from scratch—not me.

Fire mesmerizes some people to the point that they’re drawn to it. You probably know people who hold their fingers over the flame to see how close they can get without injuring themselves (is that you?). Others stick their fingers directly into flames to see if they can pass through the fire and not get burned. Do they do it for the thrill?        

Fire is a powerful element. You’ve heard stories about how fires can smolder undetected for awhile and suddenly re-ignite or how flames can leap across roads. Fire can do weird things. I’m sure many firemen have harrowing stories about flash overs and back drafts.  Fire captivates people with its flickering red and orange flames, and the volcano is the ultimate demonstration of fire’s power in nature. Take a look:

After taking that kind of risk, that guy gives the saying “to the edge and back” a new perspective. Regardless of whether or not fire intrigues you, you have to respect its power.  Our society relishes power; either we seek it for ourselves or we’re fascinated by those who do.  Whose power or what kind of power fascinates you?