Mar 29, 2022
A quiet view. (Provided photo — Diane Chase)
There has been a heartbreaking amount of losses throughout the year. We’ve woken up to fire engines and emergency vehicles attempting to stop the fire and destruction. With each notification, I pray that the families are safe. It is instinctual. The first thing I think about is the loss of life. We would all choose our family over everything that we own. We’ve seen posts and news articles detailing how people have escaped house fires with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.
I sit back in my house full of furniture, toys, photo albums, food and clothes and wonder how a person has the wherewithal to find a place to live while standing amongst the rubble of their life? It takes a strong, brave person to keep going. After the relief passes that your family is safe, when does the realization kick in that daily life doesn’t stop? Already there isn’t enough time in the day to complete job tasks, school and daily commitments. Where does a person begin to rebuild a life?
We have friends who, years ago, lost everything they owned in a house fire. The staircase in their house acted like a flume, trapping the mother and children upstairs. The fire department retrieved them from the second floor with a ladder truck. I remember being in awe that the family turned their tragedy into an adventure, so the children never felt insecure. I believe it was years later that their children understood the house fire and fire truck ride to be the same event.
Through these fundraisers and food drives, I see generosity beyond measure. I would list all the various people in need of funds, but the list is too long, and I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out. Through these catastrophes that are not our own, the greatest gift we can give our children is to continue to show them that helping someone else doesn’t deprive them of anything. Helping isn’t limited to family, friends, and neighbors but is global. We shouldn’t need to see our impact to understand doing something kind often leads to more kindness. Everyone’s ability to give will be different. We will see some people be the first to a fire while others are cleaning up at the back of the line. There is no right or wrong amount of help. It’s enough to listen when someone is in need. Keep safe, people.
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