Feeding the Fire Within

Have you ever thought about what your most valuable possession is?

Maybe it’s your home. Your retirement nest egg. Or a treasured keepsake. Of course, it’s different for everyone.

Have you ever considered that the most precious possession you have is the gift of your life? It’s probably something we don’t think about often.

And what if we viewed this gift…our life…as a sacred trust?

Imagine if the opportunity to be alive, to make choices, was entrusted to us as a sacred responsibility. Every decision we make, every choice we take, is a step in either nurturing or diminishing this trust.

We can think of this sacred trust as a small fire that’s within us.

You tend to it, nurture it, and it grows stronger. But neglect it, or worse, douse or extinguish it, and it withers away, threatening your very existence.

Building a fire from scratch is no easy feat. You start with small kindling, patiently nurturing it until it catches flame. Then, slowly, you add larger pieces of wood, allowing the fire to grow.

Life is much like this fire.

Think about it. To build a roaring fire, you need to pay attention to what fuels it. You can’t throw a huge log on a tiny spark and expect it to ignite. You begin with small twigs, patiently waiting for each to catch fire before adding more. Gradually, as the fire grows, you can add larger pieces, but you still have to wait for them to catch. And if you keep nurturing it, it becomes a powerful, unstoppable force.

On the other hand, if you ignore it or douse it with water, the fire weakens. It struggles to stay alive until, eventually, it fades away. Life works in much the same way.

Our responsibility, then, is to keep our inner fire burning brightly. But how do we do that?

What if it’s as simple as noticing what brings you alive?

Every day, pay attention to the things that ignite your passion, that make you feel alive and vibrant. These are the sparks that fuel your fire. It could be spending time with loved ones, pursuing a hobby, or simply enjoying a quiet moment of solitude.

Also, notice what dampens your spirit. Identify the things that drain your energy, that make you feel dull and lifeless. These are the dampeners, the water on your fire. It might be toxic relationships, unhealthy habits, or simply situations that don’t align with your values.

Once you’ve identified these things, the path forward becomes clearer. Follow what brings you alive, what fuels the flames of your inner fire. Pursue your passions, invest in meaningful relationships, and live in alignment with your values. By doing so, you’re nurturing that sacred trust, allowing your fire to grow stronger with each passing day.

Of course, this isn’t always easy. Life throws challenges our way, and sometimes it’s easy to let our fire dwindle. But even in the face of adversity, we have a choice. We can let the challenges extinguish our flame, or we can use them as fuel to make it burn even brighter.

Think about the people who inspire you. They’re not immune to challenges, but they face them head-on, using each setback as an opportunity to grow. They understand the importance of tending to their inner fire, even when the flames flicker or grow dim.

So the next time you’re faced with a decision, big or small, ask yourself: is this nurturing my inner fire, or is it dampening it? Trust your instincts, and choose the path that feels aligned with your heart and who you really are.

In the end, life is a sacred trust, a precious gift entrusted to us. It’s up to us to tend to it, to nurture it, and to keep the flames burning bright.

And perhaps, just perhaps, the secret to an amazing life lies in something as simple as noticing what brings us alive and then following it.

That’s an interesting thought to me. I’d love to hear what you think.

Jack.

Let’s talk!