I spent some time watching a fire this early Winter Solstice morning.  I love to watch the logs and how they burn and interact with each other at the various stages of engulfment and disintegration.  Just like we humans as we cook the ego and become more ash, more of the essence we are.  I watched the logs burn more brightly when they were together, and eventually mesh into one mass of ash.  I watched a log off by itself, still burning though not as brightly.  Just like us. We can be a small bright light in a dark world but when others join, we can light up the sky.  I put a marshmallow on a stick and tried various cooking distances from the flame.  I found it cooked even when just barely within the space of the pit, though of course cooked faster as it approached the flame itself.  A great metaphor for my own social interaction.  I am cooked faster by some people and events than by others, depending on how close to the situation I want to get, and how much I allow. Sometimes all it takes is a light toasting, other times a scorching. It’s nice to know I’m in charge of whether or not I ever get burned.