....................

We burn to compose as we spark creativity by the unearthing of the deeply buried fuel of memory. The memory reveals to us the content, be that an epiphany, a realization, a long-repressed recognition, or simply a moment of awareness of the past. Here, then, is where we compose. We find the fuel for our creativity in the memories we unveil, spark that fuel with the realizations which the memories bring to us, and keep it aflame with the process of creating. We continue to tend the fire as we continue to compose and create. As we tend the fire, it grows higher, and the detail in the landscape around us becomes more clear. As we see more of the landscape, we see more of life and the world than our pitiful, dimly-lit site in the forest allowed us before. We suddenly discover texture in the surrounding forest, deep, rich texture which we only had from the vague tales of passers by and hand-warmers at our fire. As we see the world, we are compelled to explore, and we return often to feed our fire higher and higher to light the way. We discover others with fire, and others without. We find both to be rewarding and valued companions, and we often warm our hands with them, telling of our adventures in the forest, and hearing of theirs. Eventually, if we build our fire high enough, we see that the trees in our forest indeed have tops, and we wonder what is there. With our fire to light our way, the truly aware of us, Plato's philosophers and free-thinkers, Kuhn's outer-circle questioners, begin to climb those trees, and upon breaking through that thick canopy which obscures our world, discover that there is light, and beauty, and fresh air. And we reach enlightenment.