Set the World On Fire

I recently returned from Utah, where I attended the funeral of my Great Grandfather in Layton. He was 95 years old and had been married to my Great Grandmother just over 74 years. I remember four years ago when they were interviewed and an article was published about them on their 70th anniversary it hit me that I was a lucky kid to be able to say I knew both of my Great Grandparents and the admirable accomplishment they had achieved. http://www.icatholic.org/article/couple-says-love-has-kept-them-together-70-years-5672428 The last three years I have been able to make a trip out to see them every spring, and get to know them as an adult; I hadn't seen them much since I was young due to activities in school and the busy life of a student athlete. I decided for Spring Break my senior year I wanted to go out and visit them. As a kid you have it set in your mind that people will live forever but I had finally realized differently after experiencing death on my father's side of the family. "Nobody lives forever and dying is inevitable", as Great Grandma told me the night before the funeral.

 Something she also told me, which is what sparked me to write in the first place was this; "I've known your Grandpa since high school. I was going to go to college and set the world on fire, but then I met him and everything changed. But you know, I think I did set the world on fire..him and I did...look at all of you...we did that." I looked around me just then, and realized what two people had done. Two people had created five children, eighteen grandchildren and forty-three great grandchildren. And more importantly they had filled us all with their love. If that's not setting the world on fire I'm not sure what is.

 This got me thinking on the eleven and a half hours I spent on the road home about what it truly means to set the world on fire. We all have these ideas in our heads about the great things we will accomplish as individuals, totally unaware that those things may not be what God has planned for us. I believe God places within each and every one of our souls a spark. It us up to us to control the flame. I think each of us has had events occur in our lives that have not gone how we planned, as with the case of my Great Grandmother, marrying my Great Grandfather. But we never see the big picture until later. Isn't their beauty in hindsight? So many times, when things don't go our way we tend to view them as bad, or disappointing, thinking of how it could be or should be. When we let the world weigh on us this way our flame cannot grow, it will have the opposite effect and they will be put out by the stresses of daily living.

 You know those people you meet that are just enthusiastic about life? The ones who when you look into their eyes you can feel the love pouring out of them, or when you speak to them they attend to you like you are the only person in the world at that moment. The people who remain so positive in every situation you start to wonder if anything could bring them down. Those are the people whom I believe are setting the world on fire and those are the people I admire most. I believe those are also the people who have seen some serious trials in their life. A spark cannot be ignited without friction. Trials are essential. If we are to set the world on fire we must know what it is like to step into the flame. The problem is most of us are content standing outside the fire, afraid of being burnt. But the challenge we face is not the fire itself but the truth found at the center of its flames. The truth is fire. God does not place the spark within us to make us comfortable. What person can say that they are comfortable amidst a fire aside from roasting marshmallows at a reasonable distance?

 He places in us a living fire of love. It burns if we allow it. It is not a destructive fire, but one that makes things bright and free. Dare to entrust yourself to the fire. Dare to face truth. Too many times we see fire as painful but it actually brings with it a peace. But we only properly comprehend this peace if we do not cheat ourselves out of pain or out of the conflicts that the truth brings with it. If we try to avoid conflict to insure that no disturbances arise anywhere, then we can no longer have an impact. We cannot set the world on fire if we cannot face it ourselves. The message of truth sits within the fire to conflict with our behavior, to tear us away from lies and bring clarity to our lives. Truth does not come cheap. It makes demands, and it also burns.

 I believe my Great Grandparents found this truth. As I was able to visit with them over the last few years they never once told me that their lives were easy. They spoke to me so honest about life, about pain and suffering, but most important of the laughter and joy. They were able to find humor in situations as they retold their past and did not dwell on the things they could not change. They took advantage of their time together and they were able to spread that love to every person in whom they met. Although I did not know my Great Grandfather as well as the rest of my family, my aunt and uncles, mom, their cousins, my grandparents and their siblings, I knew him enough to know he was dancing in the heart of the fire before he passed away. My Great Grandmother, is left to spread the flames of love to those around her until she dances her way to heaven to be greeted by, not only my Great Grandfather, but also the One who ignited the fire in both their souls.

 The both of them have created a great example for me in what it means to set the world on fire. May we all do the world a service and not be afraid to ignite the fire within us and dance within the flames. The first step, dare to face truth.