Coming Through the Fire

[TeaAnderson]

It's been 3 months now since our family lost our home in a fire.  There are so many emotions and experiences that flood over you during this kind of crisis.

On one hand, no one, except the family cat, was hurt.  We all (6) hugged each other almost non-stop for the first 3 weeks.  We would look at each other and realize how very vulnerable we all are in this world, and that God had chosen to spare us that sorrow.  Who wouldn't praise Him?

On the other hand, the details were incredible.  How do you go shopping for clothes when the only thing you own are the jammies you were wearing when you ran out of the house?(Over 200 people saw me in them - so glad they covered "it all.")  It's amazing how fast the Red Cross is to come to the rescue for those basic necessities!  How do you decide what you need most when it has all vanished in a matter of minutes?  Even the family car blew up - but the trampoline made it!  And did you ever realize that when you are forced to leave and can't come back home, the very neighbors who called the fire department, kept you warm when you went into shock, and made sure the few photos  the firemen pulled out of the inferno were cleaned, dried, and set aside for the days when you could remember you wanted them, won't be your neighbors anymore?

Insurance is wonderful in many ways.  We were renting and the fire inspector told us that we were the first renting family he had ever met who had insurance.  We were so thankful to have made that decision.  Reality is, however, that it replaces the basic necessities, but over $80,000 in accumulation was gone forever and would not be replaced.  How do you explain to your children that we can't replace all of their toys yet...we have to wait.

Yet, we all learned a lesson about community through this time.  A 14 year old can be a hero. Neighbors will sacrifice to try to save your home even when their own may go up in flames as well.   A Grampa who doesn't know you but was trained years ago in the military in fire safety will crawl through the whole house when the entire family is not accounted for.  On his hands and knees under the bubbling flames stretching above him.  And a landlord can care more about those who were renting from him than the fact that he lost one of his rentals. 

People care.  They reach out.  They search for ways to not only bring comfort, but practical help as well.  The first 2 weeks after the fire, as the six of us dug through the rubble for little items that somehow survived, there was a constant stream of cars up and down our cul-de-sac, and sometimes, complete strangers would stop and talk with us, or simply hand us money from their car window.  This world may be full of pain and difficulties, but people still want to care for each other.

So, what now?  After living four different places in two months, we have finally settled into permanent housing.  We continue to clean a few treasures found in the fire.  We have added in a new dog and a kitten to ease the emptiness by the kitty who in fear ran back into the fire .  We remember all that we miss, and yet realize all we have gained.  It isn't that we are "resting" yet, or can even sense normalcy anywhere close by - it's very strange when you walk into your home and don't recognize anything - but we are beginning to settle in, find a little more routine, look at life with hope again.

Reality is, stuff just doesn't matter so much.  It will probably never matter the way it used to.  It will be a long time before we have another garage sale.  We will never move 20 years of accumulation across the country again.

Life is good.  God is faithful!  Family is priceless. People are amazing! There are so many reasons to rejoice!

[minasmama6]

Oct. 3, 2009 at 6:48 AM

Beautiful attitude. May God bles you. Sorry for the loss of your home, but  thankful no one was hurt!

[Lb128f]

Oct. 4, 2009 at 2:51 AM

I'm sorry...although, I'm thankful you all are okay.

[mom2hailie]

Oct. 4, 2009 at 3:29 AM

Your story moved me to tears because my mother's house caught fire 2 days after 9/11.  You were lucky in a sense because none of her neighbors tried to help. The Red Cross never offered her anything and you know she still feels bitter about it because she thinks if her house didn't catch fire 2 days after 9/11 maybe someone would have cared you know. But in a weird sense reading your story. There are more good people out there then we relieze and it's a blessing like you said complele strangers would drive past and hand money to you even thought they maybe going through rough times.  Again thank you for sharing  your thoughts because you are right, life is good, we just need more people to see it.