I am Campfire Rebel, and the discontent I feel listening to stories under the stars used to be a lot more of a mystery to me. We’d sit there, watching the night get dark, with everything we said highlighted by fire flicker and the smell of smoke, drinking something long and cool and social, and I could tell myself: I am living my best life right now. The stars are out and we’re all here, talking and laughing, and there’s a soundtrack that’s more than half what I love. Because I love me some crackling logs, some shushing from the weather blowing gently in the night, and the sounds of all of us here talking.
I tell myself in moments like that, over another long, cool drink, that I’m living my best life. With a little effort, I believe it too.
That little bit of effort, though. That got on my nerves. It got on my nerves a little bit. Then it got on my nerves a lot.
I didn’t figure out why for a while. To be fair, I didn’t try to figure out why. I kept showing up to the fires and drinking my long, cool drinks, and talking with all of you, and I kept telling myself. I’m living my best life. I’m under the stars, talking to all of you around the fire.
And I felt semi-annoyed for some reason that I couldn’t name.
I did eventually name what was bugging me.I figured it out from my slowish realization over over time. My fuse shortened and shortened every time we’d meet again, to look at the stars and share a drink and sit around the fire and talk. I knew I didn’t dislike anything that you had to say, So I never quite named it, but I did figure out what annoyed me from my own behavior. I cracked it.
See, all that time we spent together, under the stars, sharing something long and cold to drink, and listening to the fire crackling, and talking…do you remember what we talked about?
Because I do.
We talked about nothing. Or we talked about the same exact horbaldishneep (our code for nonsense) that we talk about incessantly. We gripe and complain and I can’t remember a single moment that stands out. Because, like, know what we don’t do?
We don’t spend time and attention noticing the otherworldly and magical nature of these beautifully strange chances we have to be apart from the rest of our restless lives. The fact it’s just for a while makes more of the magic.
That’s why I’m a tad antsy about it. And that’s why I’ve been interrupting you so much lately. I want to be around you. I treasure it. And I want us to sit here, under the stars, with these long, cool drinks, with the fire crackling and the smell of woodsmoke, and I want to talk to you. And I want to grow from it.
How’s that for an idea?
Some tunes while you ponder away.
A Note from Robin @pinrosescents
Spicy and contrarian, Campfire Rebel tells a riveting story to be sure. No toasted marshmallows here – just a shot of whiskey with a raspberry chaser before regaling adventures to those gathered round. Wear it with flare and make your spark.
Fragrance Family: Warm & Woody Spices
Top Notes: Whiskey, Raspberry
Heart: Burning Oud Wood, Guiacwood
Drydown: Bourbon Vanilla, Vetiver
Perfumer: David Apel