Sometimes Your Firewood Is Bad

There are times when I need to go into the wilderness alone so I can have a conversation with God. Recently, I packed up my camping gear and headed off to Bass Lake, California.

It was such an amazing surprise when I got there and saw snow! I’ve always wanted to snow camp- I was stoked.

I do have to admit, I’m kind of a pyro. I love to build kick a$$ fires without using accelerants such as gasoline or Dura Flame fire starters. There’s something about “listening” to the fire, knowing what it needs, and providing that essential element to allow it to grow.

In order to build a successful fire, you need dried wood that’s been broken down in small strips, called kindling. You then position these pieces of wood in a teepee formation. You can also use paper to help the process along.

Using this knowledge, I tried to start a fire at Bass Lake. Every time I added a piece of wood, I had noticed that my flame was no longer existent. After several times of rebuilding my campfire, it had dawned on me that the wood I bought at the local grocery store was too moist. This wood was in turn stifling my fire.

However, the wood that I brought from home, was sufficient enough to keep the fire happy and adequately fed. It was perfectly dry.

Slowly but surely, I was able to use both the store bought wood with the wood that I brought by layering the good wood with the bad wood.

Eventually, all of the wood burned. This fact sparked a concept in my mind:

In order for the fire within your soul to ignite, you’ve got to surround yourself with people who fuel your passion. Otherwise, you will feel smothered, not motivated enough to keep burning.

Moreover, if you share your spark for life, you can in turn give someone else the chance to feel the love.

When you’re feeling down about your stroke recovery process, remember my campfire analogy. Remember that in order for dreams to manifest, you first need to listen to the fire within.

Have you surrounded yourself with positive people? If not, I encourage you to join stroke support groups on social media. They are a great outlet and full of like-minded people. You will then encompass the energy you may be lacking for a successful recovery.

Can’t seem to find them? I’ve got a few you can check out. Reach out to me and I’ll be more than happy to be of assistance.

One group that I am pleased to introduce you to is Aphasia Cafe. They are a great group of people who live with aphasia. You can find them on Facebook or by clicking HERE. They meet twice a month on Zoom!

I promise, you will enjoy the company.