“Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy”
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Spoken by Albus Dumbledore.
Questions of the Day: What does fire mean to you? Is fire a warm loving part of you or is it a fear to be avoided at any cost?
Definition of Fire: a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or another material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.
With such a simple definition, why does the word fire bring out so many fears?
Think about all the fire “safety” warning that we are given from the time we are children such as: Don’t play with fire unless you want to get burned…Stay out of the line of fire.
Think about all the man-made negitive connotations of the word fire: Termination from a job as in “You’re Fired”…The discharge of weapons as in “Open Fire On”…Lack of integrity as in “Fighting Fire with Fire.”
What if all these fears of fire were simply warnings to control behavior to prevent people from discovering the power of the nature of fire?
In nature fire is an element of cleansing and purification. In October 2007, with wildfires burning on three sides, I sat in my home in Escondido California and contemplated the nature of fire. Facing the fear of fire is the first step in finding awe in the power of fire. This is what I think of as Baptism by Fire.
We all know people who have experienced major difficulties, such as a financial or an emotional crisis or severe illness and come through the “fire” as changed individuals realizing that they cannot control life or live in fear and isolation avoiding the fire. This is Baptism by Fire when we must make the choice between what is right and what is easy.
After experiencing the wildfires of Southern California, I had the opportunity in 2009 to attend a retreat in Valley Head, Alabama presented by Edwene Gaines which concluded with a “Fire-walk.” I had, of course, known people in Southern California who had attended fire-walks but the opportunity or desire had never presented itself before attending the retreat.
Walking over hot coals was much easier than walking out my back door last week after the snow…I can walk over hot coals barefoot with more ease than I can walk on ice wearing boots. Since that first walk, I have now passed over the hot coals 6 more times…7 times total. For me, Fire-walking is a further purification and cleansing which reminds me that I live in a world of faith in the power of one God. Fire-walking forces me to let go of man-made fear.
When discussing the power of Fire, there is an organization which works with this power. FIRE is the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
FIRE’s work to protect fundamental rights on campus concentrates on four areas: freedom of speech and expression; religious liberty and freedom of association; freedom of conscience; and due process and legal equality on campus. Ultimately, FIRE seeks to end the debilitating fatalism that paralyzes students and faculty by bringing public attention to the issue while providing protection to those who are now helpless in the face of abuses of power on campuses across the nation.
Social Justice issues are at the fore-front in not only educational institutions but also in all workplaces across the country. Social Justice is a requirement for Freedom.
Which brings us to the final question: When you are forced into the choice of deciding between what is right and what is easy…will you chose to be an inspiration in the power of fire or will you chose to take the path of fear in fire?
Love, Light & Lots of Laughter…Joa
Email: joa@joacarter.com
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