Sunday’s Column: There Is Nothing …

Jul 29, 2013 by winjaw

It is impossible to describe in words the full impact of the moment when someone tells you that they have nothing.

In a world where we are surrounded by stuff, “nothing” seems almost un-American. We build sheds, convert garages into stuff collectors, and rent space at storage shelters to keep precious stuff.

Until it is gone.

The Little Black Dress’ cousin, Patty, is in such a place. The two spoke recently. Patty said she was okay, the Red Cross had given her a hairbrush, a comb and a few other essentials. She was fine, but she had nothing.

Patty lives in Yarnell, Arizona, where a series of fires recently developed.

The winds shifted and residents were left with literally seconds to evacuate. Patty was able to recover her 85-year-old dad and the dog. But that was about it.

The fire jumped around. The house across from Patty’s home still stands. One in five homes were destroyed. Patty’s is nothing but rubble. Patty is an artist and web designer. All her paintings, canvases, brushes, oils and the computer she used for her work are gone. Friends came over and helped her sort through what remained. A television reporter interviewed her. One news shot rests on a blue plastic bin, which hold some pieces of pastel chalk, the only things salvaged from the charred home. Patty started a journal.

“The trauma of evacuation, unfamiliar temporary housing, facing the total destruction of everything you own, then figuring out what to do next is tough.”

In fact, NF Cure capsules do not have tab sildenafil nichestlouis.com any side effect. Nobody all alone will take drugs or get a kick out of the chance to levitra properien take prescriptions. Take time for yourself and go for regular check-ups viagra soft tabs ISSUES FACED BY MEN Infertility issues can also be faced by men. As male ages, he becomes more susceptible to conditions order viagra india which are related to the heart and to soothe the cardiovascular issues. “Today, Monday, July 22, I’m sitting on Steve and Michelle’s balcony looking at the hill where those nineteen firefighters died. If I get Steve’s binoculars, I can see the actual place where they laid down their lives. I can also see a bit of my land which is hosting the big roll-off dumpsters, chippers, rolls and rolls of APS cable and big yellow earth-moving machines.”

The Dress and I started rummaging through our kitchen. How many kitchen knives does one really need? How many mixing bowls, spoons, spatulas, dishes, cups and glasses are really necessary?

What do we need now, knowing that someone very dear to us has nothing? We are putting together a care package. Little things like those listed above, along with a few additional items. The Dress is also an artist. The package we put together will contain a few paint brushes, oils and pastels. A small token, but, for someone who has nothing, a smorgasbord.

“Since my last post I have learned that every one of us who were evacuated have a story to tell and it’s important to tell it and to listen to each other. Almost all of the evacuation stories I’ve heard are of surprised, frightening exits with fire in sight. Most of us were completely caught off-guard and we all marvel that not one of our Yarnell citizens were burned in their homes.”

“Life right now is a big, mixed bag of letting go and accepting. Letting go of a life plan with Dad, two homes filled with photos, art and music, trees and gardens, and many treasures gathered over a lifetime. Accepting the kindness and support of family, friends, and people I’ve yet to meet, who have sent money to help put together a place to live and tools to work again. Accepting the generosity of those who have hugged me, given gifts, sifted through the ashes, cut down huge burned trees and removed tons of rubble from my land, provided shelter, food, clothes, words of comfort, and more and more.”

Life is not about stuff. Life is about living, about making a difference. It is about helping others in times of need. All of us entered this world with nothing – we will leave in the same way. The only truly consequential thing we can leave behind is our legacy, our impact on others.

“I still want to live in Yarnell. I still see a house on my land that gets created by a community of people that I am part of – that community extends beyond Yarnell. As Annie’s father says, in the movie ‘Made in Heaven, ‘People are wonderful.’”