Smoke Gets in your Eyes

By Pamelagrace Beatty

Two years ago, we had smoke here in Seattle from the fires in Canada.  I actually drove through some of them on my way to swing camp in Sorrento, Canada.  It’s about a 4-hour drive.  The narrow highway closer to Sorrento went through the mountains and we could see little fires still smoking in the distance as we drove.  Much of the fire was out, as evidenced by the charred skeletons of trees and brush we drove past.  Yet there were enough fires still going that the camp was shrouded in heavy smoke the whole 5 days we were there.

Fast forward to the California wildfires of fall, 2020, where we were facing toxic amounts of smoke here in Washington as well as unusual fires.  The weather experts said, contrary to some people’s opinion, that the fires were caused by climate change, and truly they are.  Some folks were concerned about the smoke (I was).  Some were not.  Some still didn’t believe there is an actual pandemic happening either.  And there are still those outliers who don’t believe we really landed on the moon.  But there is an epidemic, inhaling this smoke was not good for some of us, and I think we really landed on the moon.

Is there a bright side?

I feel for those who lost so much in the fires. I read about one couple who lost everything and were holding each other as they looked at the remains of what was once their home.  I imagined how I would feel if everything I owned went up in smoke.  How would I replace those things?  Yes, I could paint the paintings again, but there are items that are irreplaceable. You know, those personal things that were hard to come by like certain photos that aren’t in the “cloud” on our computers, or some jewelry made specially by an artist, that may have purchased on a trip somewhere, and mom’s china that she gave to you.  I think more than the loss of the individual items would be the shock of losing everything all at once.  This kind of loss could break our hearts.

Then there was a second couple the news reporter interviewed.  They, too, were staring at the remains of what had once been a very nice home.  They were holding each other tightly and both had tears in their eyes.  When the reporter asked them how they were feeling about their losses, they answered, “We’ve lost so much. But we have each other.  Those were only things.  They can be replaced.  People can’t.  We are glad we are both safe and well.  We will start over again.”  That brought tears to my eyes and still does.  Their apparent love for each other does make everything else look small.  They have their values in the right place.  It will make a big difference in how they handle rebuilding their lives.  It will make a positive difference.  Watching that news report reminded me of how dear friends and relatives are.  I know I am guilty at times of taking every one of them for granted. I think we all take the good we have, the love we, for granted.  We think they will be around forever, but there is much evidence they will not because so many have already moved off this planet.

Carpe Diem

My favorite quote is “Carpe diem,” seize the day. I think as we are seizing, we should grab those we love and tell them we love them. While we’re doing that, we can look at what we have and be thankful for it all, yet not be overly attached to it.  I had my house broken into once and many precious things were taken.  I learned to not be that attached to things anymore. I had jewelry I had bought from artists that only made one of a kind. Gone. And I never even wore the jewelry because it was so dear to me. Well, I’m over that! Now I wear every piece I have, even if it’s only when I go to the dentist! I also learned to wear all those clothes I was saving for a special occasion that never came- which has been hard during this time of sheltering in place. Now I dress up to go to the grocery store and for meetings via Zoom.  I use the china for dinner with just myself instead of saving it for when I have company over.  I learned to accept the fact that everything is fleeting and subject to change without notice, so it is important to savor every minute of life. It takes practice and discipline to remember all the things we have to be grateful for. And, yes, from time to time I fall off of the “Be thankful and appreciative” wagon.  But, I can catch myself now and remember to be thankful in the moment instead of taking all the good I have for granted. Yep, I still may assume my family or friends will be there tomorrow, but not as often as I once did. Now I reach out more often and text or email them. Sometimes I even pick up the cell phone and call a friend!  They are always pleasantly surprised that I called. It is sort of like getting a letter or card in the mail.  Remember those days?  I still love getting a personal note in the mail. That shows a lot of thought and effort in this time of texts.

My heart goes out to those who were more directly affected by the fires and are still trying to recover. There was one town that was completely burned to the ground.  Recovering from that is not an overnight situation.  I imagine COVID has not helped either.  I wonder where those people went? Did they rebuild or move to another city?  I know of two women who were actively involved with helping the residents of that city.  One volunteered to help the folks mentally and emotionally deal with the situations they found themselves in.  Another helped raise money and connected with her church community to give whatever aid they could to the those directly affected by the fires.  Both of these women live near the town that burned.  They have said to me that recovery is slow but progressing.

I can only imagine how devastating that experience was.  I also have faith in the amazing resilience of the human spirit. I believe it is possible to recover from losses. I admire the folks who stepped in to help the those who lost so much and send positive thoughts their way. Hopefully this year will have far fewer fires to deal with. 

Meanwhile, despite the crazy world we are living in at the moment, it still helps to take a deep breath and know that as we are waking up in the morning and able to take a deep breath, we still have much to be thankful for. Being thankful can change our entire experience of life for the better. So, smell the roses or the coffee or look at the budding flowers in the spring (which is happening as I write this blog) and be thankful, in between sneezes.