Playing with Fire

The best fire is bright and intense. It illuminates. Sparks. And sends playful blazing bits skyward. You wouldn’t prefer a dim alternative. But heat can also go spectacularly wrong and burn a trail of destruction. The fuel we want—passion, debate, and fierce commitment is powerful. But it’s also hard to handle. There are good ways and hazardous ways to play with fire, approaches that make the best outcomes more likely or less so. And awareness of the combustible elements in our shadow or ignorance of them.