By Evan King

I believe time spent around a campfire is time well spent. Having a fire with family or friends is a key part of life. A campfire can bring happiness in ways nothing else will. It is a tradition that is as old as time. When I think back to my own childhood and just how many things have changed since then, I recognize that despite all of the changes, campfires remain a constant in all of my favorite memories. Gathering to collect wood and supplies and finally sitting together to enjoy the warmth of the fire is a steady and constant tradition in my life. Fires encompass a multitude of positive things, from getting outside to enjoy the weather to the conversations that take place around a campfire, there is really no other place so easily accessible like it.

Fires not only provide a warmth like nothing else, but they also bring people together. Since I was very little, campfires have been a time when the world stops and we sit and enjoy each others’ company. My dad would have a whole basket full of supplies for smores and my sister and I would eagerly wait to get started. I was always the type of kid who liked to get the crusty burn on the outside of the marshmallow. Sometimes we would actually make the smores and sometimes we would just eat all of the supplies. There was no wrong way about it, there was only that time together. We talked about our day and anything else interesting while Eric Church and Luke Bryan music played in the background. These backyard nights from my childhood filled with my family and warm fires on chilly nights are something that I will always remember.

There once was a time when my parents would caution me about getting too close to the fire. Now, I am the one in charge of lighting it. While we still gather in my backyard, most campfires these days are surrounded with my friends. We talk about sports, future plans, and often recount our prior stupid adventures. Weekend nights we gather and “problem solve” around the fire. Sometimes my dad still joins us. The music has shifted a little and now it features whoever has the best Spotify playlist. Everyone takes turns playing their favorite songs while the wood turns into ashes. The smell of burning marshmallows still fills the air and brings happiness. Fires are where we can let all our stress fade away and focus on the present. We can embrace the moment filled with people we care about and love to be around.

Fires require nothing special or fancy. They are a time machine that allows stories to be passed down from one generation to countless more. It is a way to escape to nature again after a busy week of work or school. There isn’t a problem that a fire can’t fix. Fires were created as a source of warmth from the cold. They continue to serve the same purpose, yet this time the warmth from a fire isn’t from the flame, it is from the people surrounding us- shielding us from the cold world. When the night is slowly concluding and the embers are burning out- the friendships remain.

Evan King is a CCP student and a senior at Sidney High School. He is the son of James and Christina King. He plans to finish his Associate’s degree at Edison next year. He enjoys spending time on the water at Indian Lake. This summer you can find him with a bunch of friends “problem solving” around a campfire.