The Fire

It comes, sometimes without warning,

it blows up in your life with its warm flare

and can frighten you.

It will burn away the old that no longer serves you—

giving your soil space to grow plants anew.

Look carefully when fire blooms in your life,

is it the raging forest fire you perceive it to be

or is it a controlled burn that you’ve set yourself

without realizing that when you wanted change

that it would need a fresh place to grow.

That’s when you’ll come to know the fire,

the fire that gives you strength and purpose,

the fire that can give you a fresh start

for sometimes the fields you’ve cultivated

don’t work for you anymore.