Bonfire

“When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself,”
-Shunryu Suzuki

Throughout the summer my friends and I started to have bonfire parties out in my pasture. They were usually full of crazy antics and held a sense of freedom from a populated and hectic life. Most of my friends don’t get the chance to just be in nature and spend time with grass at their feet and the moon shining down (or even an exhilarating rain, as we once had at one of the parties). These parties served a stereotypical sense of debauchery but they also solidified the feeling of being young and I am often reminded of how fleeting this feeling can be. Though, summer is especially good at bringing them to the surface. We’re having one this coming weekend to ring in fall and I think it will be good to be together and relish in the disappearing warmth. I also hope that the people who come take a moment to savor the environment and this time in their lives. We’re young and we have so much potential. We are incredibly lucky and to have this time together is a gift. We need to be strong and full of purpose in our actions. I want to have a life that is continuous in seeking purpose and I want to drink life in with a clear mind and an open heart. I hope I always remember these times as well. I hope to think on them fondly in the winter and then the following years of my life. I want to be in the moment and savor it. I hope I always try to take the time to do that and be cognizant of how to live fully and warmly like a fire burning bright and with a strong fury, under the expanse of stars on a summer night…