Fires

I've been pondering the lives of the people in California who lost their homes. My niece was on alert to evacuate. Yes, she lives there. I haven't heard yet whether or not they had to go. She is pregnant with twins. Her first(s). I'm guessing at this point they had to go and I pray that when they return, they still have a house.

What I've really been pondering is .. what if I knew my house was going to burn and I had 15 minutes to grab things. What would I grab?

Wow.

So many thoughts. After people and pets, photos are the first thing that come to mind but mine would be impossible to haul out. I have huge storage boxes of photos and they are so unorganized that I don't know what is where. I'd want all the 8 X 10 baby pictures of the kids and our wedding photos. But how can you say they are more important than the tons and tons of birthday, first communion, graduation, basketball games, etc. If I lost my photos, I'd be devastated.

I once thought about my wedding gown but I'm over it. The only thing it would be good for these days is a Halloween costume.

I have some sentimental jewelry too. Not great jewelry, but meaningful jewelry. I'd be sad to lose that as well.

I have stupid little things in the china closet that the kids made in school or that they got me at Santa's Secret Shop. They are worthless in monetary value but precious to me. I'd want them, but I probably wouldn't remember to grab them.

Clothes? No. I don't really care about clothes. Give me a white shirt and a pair of khaki's and I'm happy until I can manage to add some other things. Shoes? Man, I'd hate to lose my shoes, but, no, I wouldn't get them.

Knitting... wow. I have a ton of great yarn. But I'd let it. There's more where that came from. I would hate to lose all my knitting books though. That would bum me out. But not the end of the world.

In the end, it's the photos. My heart would ache for the photos. Which just goes to prove that it's not the material things in life that are important. I have a few valuable things. But while I was thinking and deciding what I would grab, they never even came to mind.

I think I might take some time to organize a "grab basket". I may spend some time going through my photos and make a small box of "must haves". And maybe throw in a few other little momentos and treasures that are irreplaceable. You never know.

Anyway, my heart aches for those families. It must be so terrible.