December 8

This is the first instalment to many writings about this weekend.

Our fire was our life.
It was absolutely central to our survival.
When Saturday night came around, I got to thinking about
fire,
and things like it.
Here and now, we don't use fire like it was used in years before, we chose things more convinent, like space heaters, or heat from Xcel Energy.
Here and now, we stay in our boxes- cars, houses but when things of the world are taken away from us,
we get back to the things we need.
I was with a friend I have known for 2 years.
I feel like I experienced Craig's personality more over this weekend than I had the chance to in the 2 years we spent together.
Out there- nothing is in the way. We sat next to the fire. When we weren't 100% focused on staying warm, or when we weren't talking, we were enjoying the quiet.

We burned illusions in the fire.
Along with arrogance and the idea that we can handle this world on our own.
All of the distractions were gone, with no chance of getting in the way, for 3 days. We helped each other out, because we were all on an equal playing ground. Gaurds came down. None of us had anything.
Sure, we were in Wisconsin and if we listened hard enough, we could have heard a car drive by every once in awhile, but I was in survival mode.
It was all about staying warm, keeping the blood moving, making sure everyone around me was still alive.

It's when we live life simply that we began to understand that is the way life is meant to be lived.
Our society is a dangerous place to be if you are fighting against consumerisim, and the desire to always have something bigger and better. It's a hard place to be when you are looking for something uncomplicated and pure.

My inital reaction back to civilization was the heat in Craig's car.
It was much warmer than the fire, and there was less risk of smoke in the eyes,
but for some reason,
I love that fire way more.