solstice fire

I'm growing to truly enjoy the act of taking stock once every quarter and burning old baggage, usually on the date of the solstice or equinox, and usually in the company of my dear friends Halal and Fabulous Slice. The practice of burning old junk in the fire feels much like the rituals that dotted the year at the Orthodox church I used to attend. I always found some comfort in the rituals of confession, fasting and feasting in the church, and in these quarterly fires, I think I've found the rituals I want to carry with me into the future. The solstice or equinox is a beautiful opportunity to take stock, to look at the path life is taking, to appreciate what's working, let go of what's not working.

Fabulous was out of town on Friday, but Halal and her husband offered to carry on the tradition. They built the fire on their lovely back porch. By the time I arrived with Tom, the woods behind their house were glowing with fireflies and dusky light.

The fire was hot. I dropped some of good stuff into it. Wishes and desires and old junk to release back to the universe. Halal read some beautiful reflections on the passing of the season of growth. She served a glass of wine to each of us, and we sipped it slowly while watching the fire burn down.

I made my first move toward incorporating my freelance graphic design business this week, after a couple of years of deliberating about the whethers and whens. The legal requirements of the corporation I'm creating suggest that I should appoint a board of directors and hold quarterly board meetings. Sipping the wine in the glow of the fire, I suddenly realized that I was right in the middle of a lot of wisdom. Hmmm, maybe the solstice and equinox gatherings are the perfect time to hold board meetings. Hmmm, maybe Fabulous and Halal and some other wise friends would make excellent board members.

Truthfully, I have no idea how serious I need to get with the board meeting requirement. But if I am to take it seriously, I can think of no better board members than those whose company I enjoyed on Friday night by the light of the fire.