CAMPFIRE CONFESSIONS

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT A CAMPFIRE, THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR LIFE STORIES WITH FRIENDS.

We belong to a large RV club and throughout the summer months, we have a group campout every month. One of the traditions is a nightly campfire. Everyone brings their folding camp chairs and favorite beverages, and we enjoy a roaring fire and lots of friendship.

There is something magic about campfires, people seem to relax and let their guards down, and have fun. In the early evening hours when the numbers are large, the conversations tend to be casual, funny, and light hearted. As the evening wears on, and the numbers get smaller, the conversations become more serious and candid.

Our club has people from all backgrounds, and ethnicities. Professional people and blue collar folks. We have retired firefighters, and police officers, nurses, you name it. ( that sounds a bit like ” I love this bar ” ) A real cross section of America. But when we’re gathered around the campfire, we are just everyday people that have faced some really tough challenges as we navigated our way through life, and enjoy talking about those challenges and how we dealt with them.

It is also amazing how people of different religious beliefs are open to discussing religion without getting wrapped around the axle. The campfire seems to have a way of taking the edge off of those discussions, at least in my experience. It’s always interesting to hear about how others worship, without having an altercation over it. It’s my opinion, you should be able to listen and learn without feeling threatened.

If you don’t have the opportunity, or take the time to enjoy a campfire, you’re missing a wonderful experience. You have another similar option to think about. My Nephew and his friends gather on his front porch every Wednesday night and smoke cigars and have a glass of good ol’ Kentucky bourbon. Same concept without the fire. I have had the opportunity to sit on his porch with his friends and it was a great experience. All of these guys work in the film industry, very entertaining to say the least.

It’s all about setting aside those things that make you crazy, and just relax with folks you really care about. Chill out and shed your anxieties and responsibilities for a few hours. A good campfire, or a facsimile thereof, soothes the soul.

VERITAS VINCIT   ~   LIVE FREE OR DIE