Burning New Trails

The power of fire has come to the fore yet again this year.  I am not just referring to the many, emotional sighs of relief of the reemergence of that fiery globe in the sky after many months of cold and darkness.  No, I am thinking of the symbolism of fire as a tool of purification and renewal.

From Prometheus’ perilous quest for fire and the biblical revelations of judgment by fire,  to the Phoenix’s rebirth through fire and its ashes, we find solace and dedicate prose to this powerful, destructive and yet rejuvenating force.  I remember the fires that raged through Yellowstone National Forest back in the 1990s, driving thousands from the land and taking their homes one by one on the evening news.  My friend Paul and I were fortunate to be able to visit the park in the course of our work with the Department of State just a few years later and marveled at the thousands of new trees that had been born from this natural calamity that had caused so much anguish and sorrow for the many who had called this area home and sanctuary. The Pinon Pine needs the high heat of 1500 degrees Fahrenheit to crack its seed pods; however, the careful controls on wildfires had denied this species its rightful birth. This tree seems, by design, to be the harbingers of a newly emerging landscape when lightning-sparked wildfires sweep across the plains.

These are the images that came to mind when I read the news of a 36-year old Senegalese army veteran who sat on the steps of the presidential palace in Dakar Friday morning, carefully removed a small plastic bottle, emptied its contents over his body, and set himself ablaze to the horror of theretofore indifferent palace guards.  The man died from his wounds at 1 a.m. today, February 21st.  Other images streaming across the internet over the past month highlight other young men who also chose the ritual of self-sacrifice to send a message of suffering, sadness, anger, and powerlessness in the hope of bringing about a positive change.

After years of seeing young men use their bodies as bombs to kill thousands, these new tactics have shifted our gaze slightly to see these actions as self-sacrifice, martyrdom, great personal loss with a heavy political message.  If you watched Al Jazeera over the course of the past few years, you will note that the term suicide bomber was never used. Instead, an individual martyred him or herself in the name of a cause.  This new wave, causing injury only to the self, seems to have garnished greater sympathy.  But it seems to me that the message remains the same.  Change, Now!

But what kind of change can we expect? What new landscape will emerge from the ashes of Egypt, Tunisia, and the evolving revolutions in Libya, Yemen, Jordan, and Algeria?  Are the sacrificial fires enough to bring purification and renewal? I sit here with the angels and devils of doubt and hope on  opposite shoulders making it very difficult to decide either way.  But the first steps to resolution and peace comes with the truth.  Speaking the truth and sharing grief, stories of the past, and desires for the future can be an purifying process.  In some old traditions, the breath is believed to be the bringer of life.  You do not use it to blow out a candle's flame but instead to invigorate, inspire, and enlighten.  I pray on this day that the people of the world take stock in this lesson and do not allow meaningless talk to extinguish the flames that have opened a potential new path to self-realization and promise. The young men need not have died in vain nor inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

The streets of Dakar are quiet and there are no signs of unrest or even an interest in courting the flames of a Senegalese revolution.  But as I walked to buy vegetables for dinner, I could heard the name of the fallen soldier, Bocar Bocoum, whispered in conversations between men selling telephone cards, street vendors, and taxi drivers waiting for rush hour customers.  He has not been forgotten.  Sometimes the real power of fire is reflection.

Thank you for your well wishes and email messages.  I feel very blessed and loved.