What to Save
When the fire in Alpine started last Tuesday, I was with my kids at a swimming pool in a neighboring community.
My son was on the high slide when he spotted a small column of smoke in the distance. He came quickly to find me.
I was sitting in the shade, stitching together my daughters hexagon flowers, since it’s still hard for her to stitch together six sides to piece. In fact she’s been stitching her flowers into the equivalent of a donut, then I put a center in for her. Sewing them that way has been easier for her, since she only needs to stitch one side.
We watched the column grow with uneasiness… and soon my cell phone rang. It was one of my dearest friends and neighbor. “Was I home? Did I know about the fire?” “I think we might get evacuated… you’d better hurry.”
During the slow drive (5 mph) home through construction… congested with a whole lot of people driving toward the fire… I thought about what I would take with me if we were evacuated.
Of course I thought about important documents. I thought about dog food and bird seed.
But what I really thought about was the things most precious to me. Afterward, I realized with a shock, that jewelry or other “valuables” hadn’t once crossed my mind.
Instead I thought about baby books, wedding photos, and my kid’s artwork, my son’s Reflections contest photo and my girl’s embroideries, my computer with years of our family photos.
As we neared our home that day and saw the billowing smoke up close, I had an overwhelming emotion come over me. What I needed most was already safe and sound. My husband at was safe at work. My kids were with me.
I am so grateful we didn’t end up evacuating. I didn’t need to make the hard decisions about what to save.
It’s the second time this year that I’ve been reminded, in dramatic fashion, to focus on what is really important.
Don’t you just love the quotes on Pinterest? Some make me laugh, and some make me think. I saw this quote again this week and thought I’d share:
So glad you and your family are safe! Thank you for the inspiring words as well. With all the “stuff” I’m going through right now, I needed this reminder. God bless you!
So glad to hear that your family is okay. I love the quote. You are an inspiration to me.
Thanks for sharing. Its always nice to remember that we are all just people. Even though it feels like we are all just connected through technology, things like this are a quick reminder that we all fear and feel the same things. God is Good!
So True.
I live in Eagle Mountain and I was at work when they said that they were evacuating people from the fire three weeks ago. I did not have to leave but it made me wonder too. I would save the dresses, I am an heirloom seamstress and the thought of my girls dresses being lost was too much for me.
Calli, I’m so glad your home and family are safe! With all the fires throughout Utah and Colorado, I’ve also been thinking about what things would be most important to take if we were evacuated for any reason. A couple weeks ago, I printed up a list of those items (ie: important documents, irreplaceable items, medications, etc.), placed it in a page protector, and put it with our emergency kits. I know in an emergency situation, I won’t be thinking clearly, so hopefully the list will save me time and help me take the things that my family will need. :)
We were evacuated two weeks ago with the Colorado wildfires (Waldo Canyon). I’ve had a plan in place for some time and it was a relief that it worked so well. As I left my home, locking the door behind me, I had to look back and wonder if I was seeing it for the last time. But I looked ahead to where the kids, cats, dogs etc. were waiting for me and I knew that the important thing was, we were together.
There were certainly things I wished later I had brought with us — but in the end we returned safe and sound. If it happens again, I will take different things. But they are just things.
I’ll be praying for you and yours that you stay safely in your home. :)