Last winter, I came home to a dark, cold fireplace. My cat was giving me the judgmental stare from the sofa. I spent a full ten minutes fumbling with the knob, pressing it too hard, dropping the lighter twice. I was about to give up and call my dad (which is my “I officially give up” move), but I paused. I took a breath. I held the knob for a full minute while humming “Happy Birthday.”
It worked. The pilot caught. I felt like a wizard. The cat finally purred. That tiny victory made the whole evening feel cozier, even if I did burn my finger a little. The point is: you can totally do this.
