Fire

Nancy Merrill is hosting a photo challenge. The theme this week – Fire

“Parents’ Weekend” (and later, as it became known…”Family Weekend”) for those of us who had kids in college…was a chance to visit at the beginning of the school year. To check in with our college student. Perhaps sit in on a class. Eat in the dining hall. Meet their new friends. Get a small glimpse of what this new life was like. I looked forward to those weekends every year.

However, it could be awkward. For newly independent 18 year olds shepherding their parents around campus. Fortunately, activities were planned. Tours. Speakers. Student performances and Acapella groups abounded.

One year…something extra special happened…

My daughter went to college in Providence, Rhode Island. One parents’ weekend evening we experienced WaterFire. A yearly event that began in 1994. Close to 100 floating braziers/bonfires lit up the river running through downtown. Accompanied by beautiful recorded instrumental music. An almost mystical experience. Definitely unique. And memorable.