A Spark to a Flame

A cautionary note, before I begin today's post: As an English teacher and a woman of great literary passion, I claim entitlement to unmitigated use of beautiful but cliche metaphors.

That said...

The husband and I were on our way home the other day and passed by a diminutive brush fire in the ditch on an industrial road. The area was fairly small and the flames periodically brightened and then ebbed, seeming to be on the verge of vanishing completely. Husband, not usually given to caution, dialed 911 to report the fire. I'm sure on their recording, they could hear my whisper, "tell them it's not very big. Maybe they don't need to come at all". After he finished the call - during which they told him they would send a truck - he told me that even little fires like this have the potential to get very big very fast, and that although this seems small to me, looks are deceiving.

Sure enough, within minutes, the fire - which seemed so close to burning itself out - had grown into something almost frightening. In fact, it would have been so had the wail of the siren in the distance not promised swift and decisive action.

Which brings me to my metaphor. It's crazy how little things in this life, which seem so insignificant, have such great potential to grow. That spark, when representing something negative, can do such damage. In relationships, for instance, careless words, a sarcastic remark, an ill-considered piece of information, a secret slipped, can very quickly cause irreparable harm. In teaching, I've seen a piece of great literature with maturer content, when I've failed to prepare the kids or to approach it as carefully as it required, grow into an unnecessary issue that sucks the value right out of the otherwise enriching piece of work.

On the other hand, when that spark represents something great - like an idea or an understanding, it can take a little good and multiply it into something amazing. As a teacher, one of the greatest rewards is seeing a spark of inspiration turn into a flame of creativity or critical thinking or passion or insight. When that little spark of interest, which seems like it may go out at any moment, grows into something bright and beautiful and sometimes even breathtaking.