My hometown suffered a fire yesterday. Over 100 buildings,
many of them homes, burned to the ground. When I graduated high school in 1989 I
wanted to get as far away from that small town as I could. I joined the Marine
Corps and did exactly that. Since my discharge from active duty, I have moved
several times, never looking back. I returned to Weed a couple of times to
visit my parents in the 90’s, then, in 2001, I moved them to Las Vegas to live
with me. Since then, I have briskly passed through town twice while on road
trips, never staying, and certainly never nostalgic. I didn’t return for my class reunions, even
though I went to same school with classmates for 12 years, (13 years - if we
count kindergarten.)
Why, now that tragedy has struck, do I want to go back? I
want to walk the streets and I want it to be just as I remember. My old neighborhood, Carrick Addition, seems
to have remained untouched. In looking at photos posted online, my heart breaks for
so many who have lost so much. I feel drawn to "home," even though, until now, I
never thought of it that way. I keep looking at photos and videos of the damage, and feel so helpless.
I no longer have family there, but I do remain loosely connected
with a few friends via Facebook. Many of them have lost everything.
Please join me in prayer. This is truly a tragedy.
I am out of words to say.
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