“I just want people to take a step back, take a deep breath and actually look at something with a different perspective. But most people will never do that.”
The Thomas Fire ravaged many acres and disrupted many lives. The city of Santa Barbara was a ghost town amidst the dark, smokey haze that blanketed the region. Ash fell like snow and the sun, if visible, glowed an eery red. It was almost apocalyptic.
The holiday season certainly took a detour for many. For some, the forced incubation felt like incarceration, others a time of reflection or a great excuse to get out of town. Residents that did stay home were sequestered, sealed in from the smoke, haze and ash. When outdoors, residents were required to wear particle masks. It looked like an attempt to keep a plague from spreading like a wild fire.
I locked myself in our bungalow and found life stripped of luxuries that varied from electricity, daily walks and teaching yoga. I watched for updates constantly and talked profusely of the “what if we have to evacuate plan”.
People were not able to breathe fresh air for weeks. Never before, I had been so aware of how precious a breath of fresh air was.
Many people did loose their homes, but not their community. Community, through the kindness of action, arose in many ways. Public libraries handed out free masks. People opened up their homes to evacuees and had guests sleeping wall to wall. Local eateries donated meals to first responders. People posted updates on FB to make sure all loved ones were up to date. Volunteers worked 12-hour shifts at the evacuation centers. Most of all; people said “thank you”. I didn’t hear anyone ask “Why are the fire fighters not doing a better job?” Even out-of-towners want to deliver cookies to the fire fighters.
Nothing about the fire made anyone less-blessed. I believe it made a great many people more aware of what to be grateful for. I do understand many will be traumatized by the experience for some time to come, but they will heal. For some, people learn the art of letting go through death. Perhaps The Thomas Fire encouraged many of us to let go of what it is not meant to be now. Fire is considered a purifier in some religions and perhaps this is Mother Nature’s version on a grand scale.
I saw my sequester as a time of incubation.
“I love what I do, and I just remember that every breath and every moment is a gift and it can be taken away at any time, so I want to appreciate it and be grateful for it while it’s here.”