For Lack of a Better World

One of the highlights of any camping trip is having a proper fire to sit around. Whether it’s for heat, light, or security, having a fire is so instinctually a part of who we are as humans. There’s something about a hot, crackling fire that harkens back through the generations to the day to day life of our more primitive ancestors — something comforting, familiar, reassuring.

You can imagine that building a fire was one of the first survival skills taught to younger generations, with emphasis on the how, the why, and the reason(s) for precautions. You can imagine this is where the singers and storytellers of the community earned their popularity. You can imagine this is where people laughed at the absurdity of life or mourned a recent loss together or resolved conflict with one another — ‘burying the hatchet’ as it were — before retiring for the night.

The fire is were hunger and cold and darkness were beaten back. This is where gods were born and fears were vanquished. It’s no wonder the flame is so etched into our collective psyche and why, despite all the advancements in technology, that the campfire still demands our reverence.