Camping Conundrum

So this past weekend myself as well as a bunch of friends who are Young Life leaders went up to the mountains just outside of Yellowstone. Today I was looking at pictures and was struck. A certain picture of our fire at night caught my eye. I don't believe that I am alone when I say that fire is one of the most captivating phenomenon in the world. Think about it: wherever there is fire, there are people staring, mesmerized. Why is that exactly? On the one hand it is just fire, it's not like anyone is new to the sight. And yet we keep staring, as if when it dies out we will never again see the flames lick the air, or hear the crackle of the wood. We keep staring as though within the fire lies some hidden treasure, and if we look away for a minute or blink we will miss it. The question that still crosses my mind is simply what is fire? Yes I know that fire is the combustion of oxygen. But what kind of an answer is that? Science(as much as I have learned thus far) has fallen horribly short at categorizing this element of the earth. Because you cannot capture fire like you can a wild flower . You cannot collect a specimen of fire like a butterfly. All you can do is sustain a fire. You can keep it going with fuel and ideal weather conditions. But what is it? Sometimes the destructive power of fire is lost on me when I see it blown by the wind, seemingly as delicate as a feather. I think that our place here on earth becomes quite clear when with all our knowledge, technology, and history we are limited to describing fire as feebly as "fire is fire." Fire is a fact, a constant that is to be accepted, not challenged. Perhaps the task of breaking down fire is too daunting, and also maybe fire should be left alone. Afterall, who regrets the no doubt countless hours spent burning holes into the firelight, so to speak. Who doesn't enjoy the mystery that fire still poses? That enigma is a riddle I have and will continue to come back to again and again. With my blank stare and mouth agape, I will ponder fire and all that it holds.