I believe in bonfires. The ones that you make on a perfect summer night when the sky is clear and nothing but the stars and moon are out. The ones that bring the perfect smell into the air. The ones that take forever to light, but somehow turn into the perfect fire. But mostly the ones where you can sit around and talk with your friends about anything and everything.
Summer bonfires have always been a way for my friends and me to bond. At least once a year we buy the concoctions to make s’mores (which we never end up making), lighter fluid (since we’re that lazy), and Root Beer in glass bottles (because that’s the only way to truly drink Root Beer). We gather as much wood as we can and together we start to make the fire. Well, they make the fire. I sit and watch because I always have a way of putting it out. And then it’s done. They finish making the fire and we can now sit together and watch it burn.
Most times we talk about recent events and things that are going on in our lives. Eventually someone will bring up a question, one that requires deep thought and consideration before giving your answer. These are the questions I love. They show how each of us have different opinions and ideas, but aren’t afraid to share them with each other. With my friends we can say what we think and everyone will consider it without becoming angry or putting it down. We talk about family, men, religion, the universe, the war, history, mysteries…anything we have on our mind. Sometimes we argue, sometimes we cry, mostly we laugh, but we always leave with a stronger bond then before.
Bonfires may be an odd thing to believe in, but they represent something more than a fire to me. They represent friendship and what it means. My friends and I have gone through a lot of ups and downs, but I can always count on those bonfires to be there and bring us back together.