Fewer Campfires

Campfire melts snow during winter camping trip in Massachusetts.

     I don’t use matches to start a campfire in the morning. I place tinder over ash from the previous night’s fire. Then I blow on the ash. A campfire flickers to life. This combustive revival is especially nice during winter.
     The best thing about campfires is camaraderie with other people. Staring into flames is relaxing. Inhibitions loosen. There’s a greater degree of candor and conversation.
     Younger generations are missing out on these delights. Fewer of these people go camping. They want access to technology. Smartphones don’t always connect in wild areas. Some of these people are loathe to step away from the endless social media loop.
     An official at the national park service said that younger people are “more separated from the natural world than perhaps any generation before them.” What a sad observation.
     Not all young people are tethered to social media. One of my nephews—he’s early twenties in age—tethers himself to ropes and harnesses. He’s an avid mountaineer. He enjoys many a campfire with his friends.
     Campfires lighten our faces and lighten our moods.