While wildfires rage across our country, I am reminded of one of my father’s many important lessons for a very inquisitive child.

Dad, on Fire

A love poem

Four elements — earth, air, fire, water. Three states — solid, liquid, gas.

“Daddy, what is fire? If air is gas and water is liquid and earth is solid then, is fire the same as air?”

After a pause he says, “For children, fire is hot, dangerous, a thing to avoid. For a grown-up, fire is comfort, warmth, security against winter’s cold.”

“But, Dad, is it a solid, a liquid, or a gas?”

He retorts, “Is it a solid, like a rock?”

“No.”

“Is it cool and runny, like water?”

“Um, I guess not.”

“Then, what do you think it is?”

“But, Dad, if fire is a gas, like air, why is it orange and blue?”

He considers giving a lesson in quantum physics, excited electrons, combustion chemistry, matter, energy, fossil fuels.

He thinks about the Twin Towers, the burning Amazon, natural gas flares, contrails, climate change.

She watches his face change with his thoughts.

“Daddy, it’s OK. Let’s do finger paints now!”