A Fable

Once, there were two friends named Joseph and Henry. They went to the forest on a crisp autumn day to go camping. They set up camp under a large maple tree that was glowing with red and orange leaves. They started a campfire and made dinner. The crisp autumn day slipped into a cold, dark night. They threw on more and more logs to keep the fire going. The flames reached higher and higher. Neither one thought about why they kept throwing on more logs but both continued to pile on the firewood. The flames soon kissed the leaves of the maple tree. As the friends were reaching for more wood, a couple singed leaves fell to the ground between them. They looked at the leaves and then at each other.

"We must stop throwing logs onto this fire, Joseph," said Henry.

"I agree," said Joseph, "If we don't, we may burn down the entire forest."

The two friends then sat in their chairs and watched their creation slowly recede. The flames melted under the maple tree ever so slowly.

"I think it's time to hit the hay," said Henry.

"I am not ready to go to sleep yet," said Joseph, "You go on ahead I am going to sit by our fire a little while longer."

Henry went into the tent and fell into a deep slumber. Joseph sat by the fire and watched it slowly die. He noticed the tiny sparks that came out of the wetter, green wood. He watched the hot coals brooding under the house of flame. The evening passed and Joseph continued to stand vigil over the campfire. The flames shrank to Joseph height, then to his waist, and to just enough to peek out over the last of the wood. Joseph followed the tiny puff of smoke the the final flame released with its last breath. The sky lightened as the coals faded. Joseph shivered violently but continued to sit close to the once majestic campfire. The sun peered over the horizon and some of the coals faded. The sun was halfway exposed when one coal remained.
The one coal, Joseph observed, began at a constant light but began to flicker and fade as if winking. Henry emerged from the tent.

"You're up early," said Henry.

"I never left," said Joseph.

Henry was perplexed

"Why are you staring at those ashes?" asked Henry.

"I'm not," said Joseph, "I am watching the last bit of our fire."

The final coal blinked on and off. The pauses between the lit became longer and the lit time became shorter. Finally, the coal winked at Joseph its last time.

"How could you sit there and watch that all night?" asked Henry.

"How could you go to bed?" asked Joseph.

The friends looked at each other and tried to figure out what had changed.

"Let's go," said Joseph.

The men tore down the tent and packed all their gear. Before they left the forest, Joseph looked at the pile of ashes one last time. He picked up his gear and headed home.