A wildfire destroys everything you are familiar with so fast. On August 18th of 2023, a home full of lifetime accomplishments and accumulation disappeared. We had 20 minutes to get out. See a more detailed description of that day at this post.
Moving On
This beautiful house was gone. Grief over loss can get you down, making it hard to move forward. Or, it can inspire you to search for what’s left that is good today. The only thing you can do is stay in the present to keep your sanity.
Here is a picture of our melted Kubota tractor parked in front of the house. Wildfires (Oregon Road Wildfire in Elk) quickly simplify your life. Reducing to an overnight bag, suitcases, and a few boxes is a lesson in humility. It is peculiar how the missing “stuff” begins to matter less and less as time goes by. The sting of the loss decreases with time.
It is a journey we slowly walk, towards an unknown destination. Having much less is fine after all. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when my memory shows me… Grandpa’s clock ticking and announcing the hours. I can see it in the dining room and notice a tear leaving my eye. Look at this picture of the garage debris with the old caterpillar parked in front.
Memories pop up randomly. My piano. and my Mom’s music book that we played duets together so long ago. The many photographs of our family, children as babies, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all gone. Trophies, ribbons, heirloom linens, and that wonderful apple cider press. Okay, I am sure you get the picture.
Silence
I have quit sharing my stories and thoughts on these blogs during the past nine months. What could I say? I don’t want to share negativity with no solutions. Many survivors after the fire have taken to airing daily frustrations and publicly comparing notes on who did what to whom. It doesn’t help anyone. If I don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all. Remember those sayings?
Wildfire destroys, but it may also have some good effects too. I don’t think I will collect as much stuff this time and maybe I will appreciate more. There is now a light at the end of the tunnel, so, buckle your seatbelts and hold on for a ride. The writer is back and so is the artist.