Fire

Fire Dancer

"Hey son, don't touch that.   It will always burn you."
As he looked away, my five year old hand touched the hot wood stove.  Maybe I learned that time.

"Hey, if you play with fire, you'll get burned."  I listened but didn't understand it beyond the simple literal meaning it offered.

"Hey, be careful, that is hot..."
I drank the hot coffee and it burned my throat.  Maybe I learned that time.

"Hey, don't think about it, that is fire.  Everyone will be burned, especially those close to you."  I listened to him but once again I knew I was fireproof. I got a few scars from that one.

Wait!! It will burn you!

Fire is beautiful and sensual to watch.  It cooks, heats, and melts metal.  It tempts us with its power to do things, but we forget how we can too easily assume we master it and know all its outcomes.  Our arrogance burns us.  With that reminder, we try to rethink how can we use it and not get burned.  Maybe there is no safe way to play with fire and we will always get burned.  If we don't play with fire though, we will never learn and grow to achieve our desires, aspirations and fulfill our needs.  By taking that risk, we painfully live a full life.

Sometimes we have to just accept that we are going to get burned, but it may just be worth it.  With that, I salute all those who are willing to play with fire and take those chances to truly live.   Time to play with fire and get ready for the scars of learning from it.