Faces Around the Campfire


Summertime campfires are a rare opportunity. No other season offers late sunsets and a sense that time can stretch a bit further. There’s just something about a campfire—and the faces of those you love sitting close by.

My last childhood campfire was at my grandparent’s lakeside cabin. We’d taken the boat across the lake, meeting our good friends there. Grandpa built a rock-lined fire ring and started the fire with wood he carried in a canvas bag. Grandma unpacked a wicker basket with wieners and buns, marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers. The campfire was warm and mesmerizing. I stared into the flames and wondered where my life would take me in the years ahead. As a young teen, I had mixture of wonder and excitement. I saw my grandmother smiling tenderly at me—as if she read my mind. I smiled back.


Did Grandma know that a campfire would help me hold onto this night forever?  As we all watched the wood burn away to embers, it did become a special night—one I still remember vividly.


So, take time to have a campfire—and trust me on this one—the faces around it will appreciate it long after the flames have died.

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