Life is an interesting thing. From the moment it begins we learn, we develop and we add to it, whether by choice or not. However, sometimes all this addition can build up to the point where moving forward can become harder and harder. Our experiences and ties hold us down and pin us to the past and making the future seem out of reach.

In times like this, nature will sometimes go through a cleansing; a flash fire that burns away everything old and lets it rebuild. It can be rough, painful and there will be loss but if it prevents the destruction of the whole then it should be at least considered. Every loss and every setback are fires that we cannot control. They are terrifying because it burns away the only paths we have and leave no indication of where you should go. They leave us sitting in the ashes, suddenly alone.

But what if we start the fire ourselves?

Sometimes we may need to have a flash fire in our lives to burn away the clutter and everything old that is holding us back so that we can finally move forward and rebuild ourselves from the ashes. We fear the unknown and that is why the unexpected fires are so devastating; because they leave us with nothing safe to cling to.

What if we had the foresight to plan?

Suddenly the fire can be more liberating than destructive. Rather than destroying our path it creates a new one.

What if the safety that we cling to is the future rather than the past?

When faced with hardships, the options are to adapt or to die. To evolve is to change and sometimes that requires us to lose what we don't need and to look forward rather than back. We are the ones that control our lives, we are the ones who hold the match and we are the ones who decide our future.