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You will find this story to be a practical one. Try the idea out for yourself. If it works, what does it matter what anyone thinks?

About fourteen of us decided to climb The Twin Peaks.

The Twin Peaks are two small hills located in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

We are all friends. Social distancing and the works of life had kept us as virtual friends for a few weeks.

And so we were all enthusiastic about the climb. We were to muster at the ferris wheel in Magicland and begin the climb by five pm. We planned to begin our descent by ten pm.

As was normal, we each had snacks and drinks to share.

By the time we began the climb, we were only six in number. The rest were running late. But they were on their way.

Twenty minutes later we were at the plateau at the top of the hill.

The well-lit city lay resplendent before us. She was beautiful, she still is.

The street lights from the city gate to the airport looked from that height like the flames from the exhausts of the Ghost Rider.

The rest of the city glimmered and shone like precious stones laid on black Egyptian silk.

The country was on a public holiday and predictably Abuja was bereft of traffic. The headlights of the mobile vehicles we could see looked like vibrant stars, comets and shooting stars.

It was an amazing evening. The weather was perfect. And as night enveloped the land, it settled us all into thoughtful conversations.

By seven pm our comrades had joined us. We were now fourteen people present.

The last person came up with some firewood. A huge stack on his shoulder. Let me try to put this feat in perspective for you, this animal was five foot eight and weighed seventy five kilograms.

The chopped wood was at least half his weight. He hauled that up a hill that I have clocked as a twenty minute climb. I hear he also had a tuber of yam in his other hand.

Now listen, we are all hardcore in crossfitness, but Solo is certifiably mad!

By way of explanation he told me that, “he wanted to test his fitness.” As I write, I am again shaking my head in wonder.

What about Raju? It was he who kept going back down to guide a couple of latecomers up the hill in the dark. He still had the presence of mind to thoroughly have fun and give me a lecture on Kundalini.

He has profound wisdom. A beautiful spirit. His yoga classes are legendary within closed circles.

Then the camp fire was lit and the tuber of yam propped beside it for a slow roast.

And then we sat around in clusters and reconnected. The energy was pure and scintillating. It was a glorious night.

I had just released Goodness from a bear hug and turned away to sit when I heard an audible snap.

The sound was thunderous but I was left in no doubt that the sound was like that of a finger snap. Albeit immensely amplified.

I dropped and turned slowly.

They were all on fire.

All my friends were literally ablaze!

But they carried on unaware. They were still in earnest conversation. Still dancing and high-fiving. They were all oblivious to their predicament.

Understanding that I was in a lucid dream or trance, I sat back to observe.

As enlightenment lit up my understanding, the error of previous thought scurried away into its cloak of ignorance.

They were not just on fire, they were the fire!

In that moment I knew that like all of us alive we are on fire.

The fires of stress, pain, disease, fears and financial lack.

The fires of ambition, work and mental balance.

The fire then, was actually inevitable. What mattered was what they chose to do with these pressures in our journey into individual fulfilment.

I learnt in that vision upon the hill that they were all focused on what they wanted. Not on what they were going through.

The fire never went out. So their focus was not on the fire, but on what they individually desired.

As I watched their lives unfold in the vision, I saw that the same fire became an ally. It became their fortitude as they inevitably (individually) received what they were focused on.

It was a beautiful revelation.

Then as one they all turned to face me.

They were all looking at me.

Then they all lifted their arms and pointed at me.

It was like a loving prod.

Smiling I exited the trance because I knew what they were trying to show me.

I was on fire too.

But now I know that the fires of life are neither good nor bad. Depending on what you choose to think about, the fire will burn. It will burn you or burn for you.

The fires are not for you or against you. They simply bring to your experience your most dominant thoughts.

And so my story ends.

What do you think about this idea of ‘fires’? Please leave a comment in the comments section. I am interested in your thoughts. And please ‘like’ and ‘share’ this story.

Thank you.