Some one asked me the other day what my favorite smell is. After thinking “What a silly question”, I gave it a little more thought and came up with what is for me probably the definitive answer. The smell of a wood fire burning. It doesn’t matter to me what season it is, or whether its 95 degrees out (the picture to the left was taken at Renee's when I think it was about 97 degrees in the shade. The excuse for the fire that day? "The smoke keeps the bugs away." Yeah, right. We just wanted the smell of the fire.) I absolutely *love* the smell of wood burning. It affects me in a very visceral way. If I’m having a bad day, or am in a down mood, a whiff of that smoky smell immediately picks me right up. I stop whatever it is I’m doing and breathe deeply, trying to find the source. Who has a fire going? Where is it? Can I join in? And even if I can’t linger, the memory of the smell does, and I’m in a much better space for the rest of the day.
I’ve been wondering ever since what is it about the smell, about having a fire somewhere around, that triggers such strong positive associations? Is it past good memories surrounding the smell, or is it something deeper and more ingrained in the human experience? Do all people feel this way, or is it just me? I’ve asked a bunch of my friends both from home and from school what their favorite smell is, and several others have also put this high on their list, so I feel assured its not just me. I guess its no coincidence that my sister has a candle called "campfire", which smells remarkable like, well, a campfire. So I guess the marketing people at the candle company know about the broad appeal of this scent, and its not just in my mind. I have a feeling it may affect me more than most because of my constitution. I‘m a triple fire sign (Aries sun, Leo moon, with Sagitarius rising), so I may feel drawn to this element more than others. But I don’t think that explains all of my (and others’) attraction. So what is it about fires and their smell that appeals to us?
For me, fires bring very strong association with the most pleasant, comforting things
life has to offer. They bring us warmth when its cold. They give light in the darkness, that may have kept us safe from predators. Often there’s good food to be had. And inevitably, there’s generally good company and fellowship to be had sitting around the fire. And it doesn’t matter whose fire it is either. If you see a fire burning, its generally OK to stop in, say hello and linger awhile, even if you don’t know the fire-tenders very well.I started thinking about this last point when we went ice fishing last week. We had spent all day on the ice, and as the sun started setting, the smell of smoke drifted down the frozen lake. Someone at the other end had started a fire right on the ice. This may sound like a dangerous thing to do, but the ice is so thick there is no danger of anything bad happening. My sister and cousin and I set off down the ice to see who was bonfiring, and it turned out it was 3 guys we didn’t know. They told us
to pull up a seat and hang out. We all introduced ourselves and shook hands and got to know each other a bit. After about 15 minutes it was getting really dark, and we knew we should start packing up for the trek back home. More hand-shaking and hearty good-byes and the three of us moved out into the lonely dark. And it was lonely. And cold. And the beacon of light followed us out into the darkness, keeping us connected with our new friends who were still encircled in warmth and light. The smell of the smoke stayed on my jacket for days, and every time I smelled it I felt the same warmth and sense of inclusion that I felt that evening. It was very nice.
Another place a fire is absolutely central is when we are camping. The fire is the focal point of the whole camp. It is where you cook your food, where you heat your water to wash up, where you all congregate in the evening for stories, songs, card games, and all social interaction. When it’s cold (which it often is in the mountains) you warm your hands, and your buns in front of it. You heat rocks to put in your sleeping bag to keep your feet warm while you sleep. The fire protects you from bears who wander around looking for a hand out. Its also an excuse to invite the neighbors over to be included in the festivities, so you get to meet new people. I like everything about the campfire, from collecting and splitting the wood, to banking it for the night before you go to sleep so you will be able to restart it in the morning. We pride ourselves on the one match camping trip.
One of the nicest things I do for myself every year is my semi-annual excursion to the Russian baths in New York City with my friend Kimberly. She and I meet up to sweat and sweat and sweat out all the toxins and bad habits we've been indulging in for the past several months. This reminds me that many different cultures use fire to heat water to steam to cleanse, commune and improve their physical and mental well being. Not only Russians, but Scandanavians, Turkish, Native American and various Jewish cultures use steam as a way of cleansing body and spirit. Its a very economical way of using water, much more efficient than bathing in tubs of water. When we go to the baths, its always on Women's day. Its pretty neat sitting around the incredibly hot steam rooms with other complete strangers, sweating, enjoying the fire, and getting to know each other a little bit before going our separate ways. This is another completely different way to use fire, but it still carries the same themes of fellowship, community and health, both physical and mental.
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