Dead Wood. New Life.

The Prairie Loop Trail at the Brecksville  Reservation is burned from time-to-time for the prairie grass to produce more seeds the next season. The pine cone Jack Pine needs a fire in order  to  open its scales and release seeds. Forest  fires have the benefit of removing dead wood, creating space for new growth, and dampening competition for younger plants to have more access to light and nutrient soil.

Not all fires are bad. The combustion engine in your car that got you to work is essentially a controlled explosion that helped propel you to your destination. The key word here is control.  

Creating an analogy for ourselves, coming in too hot without controlling  the flames of our effort often leaves us charred and creates damage around us. High temps can be useful when they are pointed and directed, but lethal if uncontrolled and unrestricted.

In terms of our own energy, the heat of passion, desire, anger, or some concoction of mixed up emotions can burn down a house (or the relationships in it). On the other hand, we may choose  to allow life’s heat to restore our  perspective, open ourselves up, and start a new way of life with an open  slate that doesn’t have dead wood blocking our horizon.