The first fire of the season is always my favourite. Regardless what the calendar might say, it marks the official end of summer for me. By then, I have picked and processed most of my garden and orchard produce (although there are still tomatoes on my dining room table, apples in my fridge, and pumpkins and squashes in a bin in my foyer ready to be turned into delicious foods).

              It’s the first real moment of rest after a busy season of rushing from task to task: mowing, tending my forest orchard trails, and harvesting all the food the garden and orchard offers. Don’t get me wrong: I love summer. No matter how long and hot it is, it’s never long enough for me. But, that first moment of curling up by the fire with a book or magazine in hand, while frequently glancing over the pages to appreciate the beauty of dancing flames signals to my body that a season of busy-ness is over and a season of rest has begun.

              And, my nervous system can’t help but take notice. I feel my breath deepen, my shoulder muscles relax, and more than a few worries dissipate. No matter what’s going on in the news or any stresses in my life, for that moment I feel deep peace, and that means a lot because I’m a fairly peaceful person.

              It’s also a way of communing with a different aspect of nature than I have for months: fire. The warmth it exudes feels completely different from that of heaters or furnaces. Thankfully, the light it shines bears no resemblance to fluorescent or LED lights. The light cast from behind the glass of my wood stove simply soothes my soul and reminds me how important it is to stop doing countless things and simply be, if only for a few hours here and there. It’s an opportunity for peace and quiet, and for reflection on my life and dreams, away from the noise of the world’s expectations. The swaying and whirling of flames is a natural meditation that brings me back to my centre.