I don't know about you, but I find myself glued to the news the past 24 hours. We have a plasma tv on the wall right outside my office here at work and yesterday I heard about the fires on CNN. At first, I thought it was just another 'wildfires in California' story, as it seems they have fires there often...or at least around this time of year with the Santa Ana winds typical of the season. When I watched the news last night, however, I began to realize the severity of the situation. (See picture on left for illlustration: taken from above the Earth out in space by NASA). Crazy stuff.
I feel bad for all the people who have had to evacuate their homes on short, short notice. One guy who had been told it was safe for him to go back to his house briefly to pick up some medication,etc the following day realized that he had left so abruptly that he had left the front door open on his way out! Thankfully, at least there have been minimal fatalities. I guess if you have to choose between your home and your life, it definitely puts things in perspective. Still though, my heart goes out to the 900, 000+ people who have had to abandon their homes...some of which even include firefighters and reporters whose own houses have burned to the ground in the process of them doing their jobs! Wow. It makes me wonder what I would do in this kind of situation. I think I would miss having some of my things in my apartment if I ended up losing everything, but I think what would have me the most distressed is: Where do you go next? How do you start all over again?
It brings me back to the events of Hurricane Katrina and all those residents who were displaced. It turned their lives upside down. I can't even imagine. Carol said she heard that they even think an arsonist might have started a "3 point" fire, ie a fire in three different locations that ended up spreading/multiplying. I didn't hear such news. I certainly hope that's not true though. It's bad enough you can't control what Mother Nature does, but if there's someone out there who would deliberately start the fires....man. While I am empathizing with everyone in Southern California, I can't help but be grateful for my little life and little studio apartment here in Chicago...counting my everyday blessings.
3 comments:
I have compassion for the people that live there but they missed the lesson that was given to them a long time ago. Yes, it is very nice country out there. In fact some people say it's so beautiful, God must live there. But people were never meant to live there all year long.
The first people to inhabit that area moved away from at the end of summer because of the yearly fires. After September you have to move north or west because those fires come without fail. I understand our current way of life does not lend itself to this, unless your a rich snow bird. I just think you're dumb if each year the fires come as a shock to you. Its like Chicagoans freak'in about a blizzard. Idiots!
I never thought of it that way, Sebastian. I can understand what you mean. Like you said, while it is sad and you have compassion for the tragic situation, people may also not be taking into account the consequences of their OWN choices (or lack of making a different choice). So insightful, oh wise one. :)
Its just pretty common knowledge in the southwest. Its a shame the landowners and realitors never the home buyers about this.
The same thing happens all the time when they build houses on natural arroyos (dry river beds and streams.)
They may not flood every year but sooner or later they fill up and the poor home buyers loose out. There is a lot of that in my city right now. Mass amounts of military are moving in and buying houses in these arroyos. You can see where the land just slopes down in these new subdivisions, but if your not from here I guess you have no clue.
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