Yesterday the hayfield received its yearly burning
(yes, the same hayfield I live on, yikes!)
It was fascinating and yet oddly moving.
Fire is captivating. It demands attention.
It's powerful stuff.
As my Dad was telling me about what was supposed to be happening and
why this fire was a good thing,
something started to move inside me.
Something that still has me quiet today.
The more my Dad explained, the more I began to wonder.
The more I wondered, the more I stirred.
The more I stirred, the more I needed to listen.
Come to find out, fire isn't all about destruction.
It's also about neutralizing.
It's also about purifying.
It's also about timing.
It's about a better harvest.
The un-cut grass (if not burned) can affect the growth this next summer.
It can smother, causing a lack of sunlight to permeate the ground.
It will keep the soil insulated (too cold) and delay new growth.
The winter growth will also tie up nutrients in the soil.
Once burned, the nutrients are on the
soil surface and available for the roots to use.
Burning the hayfield lessens the winter weed growth and helps to control the insects.
Ironically, the ash also supplies nutrients to the soil which
encourages a better growth for the summer.
But timing of the fire is important, for if done too early, the weeds and insects will
still find their way back before the spring.
The first hay growth/cutting after a burn usually results in very clean hay.
And this would be the goal.
So as I looked at the blackened grass this morning,
still captivated by the process,
I began to feel differently about what feels charred on the surface of my life.
There is something valuable happening below,
deep in the soil of my heart.
It's not all about destruction.
It's also about purifying.
Healthier soil.
Less weeds.
New growth.
And it gave me hope for that day!
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