I came across a small sketch in my journal of a father and son sitting quietly together beside a campfire. In my notes, I recall an experience of a wordless powerful presence. I remember a time on a winter Boy Scout campout in the city park when my father held vigil over a fellow Scout who had fallen asleep on a log beside the fire, wrapped in his sleeping bag. This was a community of trust.
The smoke and fire are a reminder. The magic worked by the presence of caring. We work that magic for others at work, in our relationships, and in building (or rebuilding) our communities. This generous listening is powerful beyond our imagination in ways we may never know.
In warmer weather, I regularly sit 'round the fire with a group of men whom I've known for decades, whom I trust and to whom I am trustworthy. The foundations were built when I was in my teens, around the campfire with men like my father, a powerful presence.