A few things I need to get off my chest in regards to the recent fires in Colorado..
1) Seeing how everyone pulls together, and works to get through these things makes my heart fill with so much hope for us as a society.
2) Witnessing the sometimes stoic, but always strong nature of the emergency services people makes me very proud. These are the people we should admire and respect above all else.
3) Mother Nature is NOT predictable, dependable, or fair. It is the randomness of basic life which allows many things to happen, and seeing people trying to place blame &/or fault on anyone or thing for that randomness just makes me want to scream. There is no one to blame when 65mph winds force the flames to flow in another direction, or when lightning strikes in remote locations set dead timber to fire, or if someone has a blowout that causes a spark which lights the prairie on fire. There is no grand plan, there are just things that happen, you must simply accept them and react to the situation. The only thing you have ANY control over is your own reaction to the things that happen.
4) Please, take some time to use these randomly tragic events to be grateful for and acknowledge all of the good things and people in your lives. And be sure to make a plan of your own to deal with emergencies. Never let the notion of “it could never happen to me” infect your brain. It can always happen to you, and you will never know until it does, and just because you plan for something DOES NOT mean you are asking for it to happen. I’ve had a will since I was 21 years old, and update it often. I also have insurance, and I’ve always made sure to express my wishes, in the event anything happens. And at every single opportunity, I tell people how much they mean to me.
5) Be safe, hug your loved ones, ask for help if/when you need it, and know that I am so grateful for everyone who has graced my life with their presence, no matter how long or brief that association has been, it has value to me, as do each one of you.
*To help with the Colorado Fires from a distance, I suggest you use the resources from this Denver Post article.
The Book of ZOO 