Do you ever find yourself mesmerized by the dancing flames of a fire?
The way they travel the length of the firewood and the logs crackle and smoke. The way the smell of the smoke and the heat envelope you like a soft blanket on a crisp evening beneath the stars.
There's power and magic there.
And peace too.
There have been several instances of tragedy and death this week in the lives of people I know and love.
The sadness and pain causes me to reflect on my own mortality.
In the last seven years, I've come to understand the importance of being grateful in all aspects of my life.
I'm grateful for my health, grateful for my career, grateful for my children, even grateful for the tough times and the lessons they teach me.
And I'm grateful every day for the amazing people in my life who love and support me.
I'm sure I don't tell them enough how much they truly mean to me. I think sometimes I just assume that they know it.
And I know that I often assume that whenever I want to reach out and connect with them, they'll just be there.
That's not a safe assumption.
Life has a way of throwing that reality in our faces.
This weekend, as I spend time with some of the people that matter the most to me, I'm going to make sure that they know how grateful I am for their love and support.
As we sit around the campfire together, enjoying each other's company and watching the fire dance, I hope we can find peace in the flames.
We have such a short amount of time on this earth.
The most important thing we can do with that time is to be present in every moment.
And cherish the memories we are blessed enough to be able to make.
I'm grateful for every single one of mine.