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A fire in the woodstove and a cat on the hearthrug... all that's missing is someone with whom to share them. Let us help you find that someone at Concerned Singles. |
Find out why
the fires kindled by Concerned Singles burn long and strong! Cathy and Tom
celebrated their
20th anniversary
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Love must be as much a light as it is a flame.
~ Thoreau
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Greetings!
Welcome to HeartMatters: Your Concerned Singles Newsletter.
Be sure to check out the links at left. They'll take you to some of the most popular pages on our website. There's also a link to one of our many success stories: the story of Cathy and Tom, who celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary this New Year's Day!
Creating this newsletter has been a project of mine for a while. And what better time to launch it than the beginning of a brand new year? That's just symbolic, of course. We all know that every single day is new year's day, a chance to start over: "From this day forward."
During my 28 years at Concerned Singles, I've learned a lot about love.
I've talked with hundreds of people about their experiences. I've talked with people who were thinking about joining Concerned Singles. I've talked with current members. And I've talked with Cathy and Tom, and with the many couples who met through us.
I'm passionate about the subject of love: why we need it, how we can find it, and what we need to do to nurture it. When you're passionate about something, you want to share it. And I want to share with you what I know.
Here are some topics you'll find in upcoming issues:
Comments from current members Essays about love (and life) Links to articles of interest Helpful hints for using our service Answers to your questions Stories from happy couples News about Concerned Singles
Below, you'll find the first in a series called "Love Is Like...."
Find out why we call Concerned Singles your first choice for love that lasts! With my warmest wishes for this new year, Rodelinde Albrecht Director, Concerned Singles |
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Love is Like . . . Building a Fire
The first and most important prerequisite for building a truly satisfying fire is that you really want that fire: crave its warmth and comfort, cherish the living, flickering glow it brings to your home. You will also need a sufficient quantity of nicely combustible material, along with patience, persistence, and perspicacity.
You might, of course, simply arrange all your materials on the hearth, set light to the kindling, and sit back on your heels to see what happens. Me, I prefer to build it as I go.
Seasoned wood is best. Start small, and be patient. Set light to scraps of paper or cardboard, perhaps a dried pinecone or two, some thin, brittle twigs. Little by little, add larger pieces of kindling. At each stage, remind yourself that this is not just a chore but a creative act. Allow yourself to enjoy the beauty of it all: the bluegreen flame rising from certain kinds of paper, the delicate gilt edge of a pinecone as it begins to glow, the shape and color and texture of the bark of a twig.
Here's an interesting point: the less substantial the fuel (paper, thin twigs), the more easily it ignites and the hotter it burns at first. But that fire goes out quickly. More substantial fuel, such as a log, may take longer to catch fire but will also burn much longer, giving off a more reliable heat.
Be careful to leave enoug space for air to circulate. Resist the temptation to get the fire hot and roaring very quickly. (Especially in cold weather, you want to warm up your chimney slowly to avoid condensation, which can cause creosote to build up.) Once your basic fire is well started, you can begin adding small logs. Again, be sure to allow space for air to circulate. A pair of bellows, or your own vigorous breath, will make the flames burn hotter, helping to ignite the logs you add at the end.
Having gotten the fire going, you can bask in its warmth, but don't take it for granted. If you want to continue to enjoy the heat (and the light and movement) of your fire, you must from time to time add fuel, stir the embers, and fan the flames.
Sometimes you need to shift the logs around a bit, exposing the glowing sides. Make space between the pieces. Maybe use the bellows again, a few sharp puffs.
Occasionally, you might only need to stir the embers beneath the logs. Suddenly (though not always instantly), bright flames will leap up anew.
It's quite miraculous. Kind of like love.
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