FIRE ~ by Judy Sorum Brown
What makes a fire burn
Is the space between the logs
A breathing space
Too much of a good thing,
Too many logs
Packed in too tight
Can douse the flames
Almost as surely
As a pail of water would
So building fires
Requires attention
To the spaces in between, as much as to the wood.
When we are
able to build
open spaces
in the same way
we have learned
to pile on the logs,
then we can come to see how
it is fuel, and absence of the fuel
together, that make fire possible.
We only
need to lay a log
lightly from time to time.
A fire
grows
simply because the space is there,
with openings
in which the flame
that knows just how it wants to burn
can find its way.
Welcome to December, the busiest month of the year for so many. The thing I love about this poem by Judy Sorum Brown is that it illustrates the importance of spacing things out and being mindful by using the metaphor of a fire. With all the shopping, Christmas parties and preparations, how do we manage to squeeze it all in? The key is by remembering our own health and wellness and spacing things out. What gives you energy is the needed space within your work/ life balance. Too many tasks packed into a tight schedule can be draining or even lead to burnout. Create your schedule by paying attention to balancing the space between your personal time as much as to your work time. You will actually stoke the fire of work/life balance and keep your own fire burning. If you decide to build a fire during Christmas, keep this poem in mind and have a wonderful, peaceful holiday! -JJ