A Fire Pit at the Center of it All

The first time I remember being around a fire pit was when I was a little kid in Arizona. Our family had been out in the desert four-wheeling in Dad's International Scout and we stayed out late for hot dogs and s'mores. I remember Mom and Dad having us kids search around for wood to burn and being scared of being bit by a snake. We eventually got the fire going and cooked our hot dogs with pointed sticks that Dad sharpened. It is a good memory, and the fire pit was at the center of it all. There was just something magical about the licking yellow flames being contained in that pit that has stayed with me all these years.

Over the years, I have had many opportunities to be out in the wilderness and stand around many a fire pit. Some have been nothing more than an odd collection of various sized stones, but others have been more formal and permanent. No matter whether it is built out of stone, cinder blocks, or an old steel wheel, fire pits have been at the center of many fond memories. I don't know how many scout camps I've been to when the highlight of the whole time is the time spent around the fire. Scary stories, lurking shadows, tasty marshmallow treats, stinging smoke in my eyes, and the magic of a glowing fire are what stand out for me over everything else experienced during those camps. Who doesn't like a good fire after a long active day?

I recently asked one of my sisters if she had to choose between staring at a fire in a fire pit, or at the running water in a creek, which she would choose. Both of these are pretty compelling and can be stared at for a long time without getting tired of them. There is just something about the way both water and fire move that captures the human interest. They are both mesmerizing and lends themselves to daydreaming and pondering.  She thought about my question for a little while, then decided that if she had to choose between those two, she would go with fire. I have asked several others the same question since then and they have all said the same thing.

Most of my life I've been blessed to live out in the country where you can build a fire pit and gather around it any time you please. When I lived in the city some years ago, I went for a couple years without that experience until my family bought me a copper fire pit for Father's Day. I had forgotten how fun it is to gather around a fire and relax. Over the next year or two after they gave me that gift, we learned that even in the city you can still enjoy some quality personal and family time around a fire. We'd go out and get a blaze going and just sit and talk. The time flew and before we knew it it was bed time and we had to go in. Sometimes we'd cook s'mores. Other times we'd burn the odd collection of yard trimmings or other odds and ends. Again with the fire. It just never got old.

I am living back in the country now and I am looking forward to lots of time spent with my family around a fire pit. I don't care if it is a natural one or a man made one, I just want to feel the heat of the fire, smell the smoke, watch the glowing embers, and listen to my kids talk and joke and laugh together. Isn't that what's really important?