October 23, 2007

As I sit glued to the San Diego News on line and see all the fires burning out of control in California, I can’t help but feel empathy and concern for the estimated million evacuees who are camping out waiting to see if they will have a home and life to return to. My sister and her husband were evacuated from Fallbrook and went North to camp out in a tent on the beach in San Onofre. Now the fire is approaching their campsite and they are forced to continue North, into Orange County for refuge. Yet they are likely to meet another fire since it is also burning up the coast, all the way up to Santa Barbara.

Our friends, who rent our home in Scripps Ranch, have moved South to a hotel in Pt. Loma. Even though the mandatory evacuation for their neighborhood has been lifted they stay because of the poor air quality and their daughter’s asthma. If the winds were to change, the only way out for them would be the airport and a flight to another destination.

My dearest friend sits in her home by the bay with her windows and doors closed, waiting for this nightmare to end so she may safely go out and return to her active life. I encourage her daily to get on a plane and come here, where the air is clear. At 81, her lungs are compromised after the many years of living in the smog filled “big city”. Still she insists she is fine and chooses to stay.

The current wildfires have triggered my memory past, of the Cedar Fire that raged through San Diego four years ago. I remember waking up and going out on the patio to have my morning coffee. The sky was black and the air was filled with smoke. It was clear, fire was near. I turned on the television to hear that our neighborhood, Scripps Ranch, was ordered to evacuate as the fire had spread into our community. Instead of jumping up to pack a few belongings we sat glued to the television in disbelief.

My adult son and his father lived around the corner so I called to alert them of the mandatory evacuation. They were busy packing. We agreed we too should pack and that we would meet at my sister’s in Fallbrook.

I quickly gathered a few oil paintings off the walls, our wedding album, the Stradivarius Violin that once belonged to my mother, my laptop and the three of us jumped into the two cars and headed out. When we arrived at my son’s we saw that he and his father were still loading up their trucks trying to get all they could before evacuating. I looked up and saw the Eucalyptus Trees behind their home on fire with flames blazing 200 ft. high. I hollered, ”Get out, Get out now while you can! Forget about your ”things” and save yourselves!!!” My son replied, “In a minute Mom. I want to get a few more things! We will meet you at Aunt Jan’s.”

As I drove off all I could think while sitting in my car, in a long line of traffic barely moving, in our attempt to escape the flames, ”We are going to die! We are going to literally burn up in our cars waiting to get out of here!” With my son in his car seat and my husband following behind us, we watched the fire coming over the rooftops, on the street where we were standing still in the traffic jam. I surrendered and began to pray! Then I saw an exit down a side street when I made the decision, in an instant, to make a u-turn and head back the other way, along a side street where homes were already burning. I had found an alternate route to the freeway where there was no traffic, through the familiar streets that I knew so well, having lived there for 32 years. I was not sure we would be able to escape the flames and in this moment I faced the possibility of our death. I immediately chose LIFE and knew we would somehow survive!

As I drove through the neighborhood ablaze, I couldn’t believe the people who were standing outside of their homes, apparently mesmerized by the flames. They just stood there watching, paralyzed and unable to move. I remember slowing down and hollering out the window, “You know there is a mandatory evacuation order for all of Scripps Ranch, don’t you? You better get out now, I exclaimed!” They nodded, yes, but still they stood there in a daze!

I was on a mission to save ourselves and continued on our path in complete dismay as to why these people were not moving to get out of there! Finally we made it to the freeway where traffic was heavy but moving and we could see blue skies and a clearing in the direction we were headed.

When we arrived at my sister’s I worried, waiting to see if my son and his father would pull up behind us. In minutes they arrived and I knew that no matter what happened now everything would be all right because we were all safe and together. My daughter and her husband drove down from Orange County to join us when we all gathered around the television to watch the live coverage of the fire.

There before our eyes was my son and his fathers home, on fire. We sat silently and watched it burn as the firefighters kicked the blocks out from beneath the boat trailer in the driveway and pushed the boat out into the middle of the street. Then we saw one of the firefighters remove the flag from the house and toss it aside. It was so surreal. In a matter of minutes, everything was gone except for the boat and the flag!

Knowing that our home was just around the corner from theirs we wondered if our fate would be the same. Fortunately our home was spared and a few days later we were allowed to return. Of course my son and his father joined us, for they no longer had a home. But spirits remained high and everyone came together to offer assistance to the 350 families in Scripps Ranch who lost their homes in this fire. Within one week my son and his father had a new home completely furnished with clothes, dishes, toothpaste and towels.

The kindness, organization and generosity of the people of San Diego coming together in this crisis was so deeply touching and beautiful to witness. We all did what we could do to help. I became the meal provider as I cooked and prepared many meals to feed our family and neighbors who were busy digging through the rubble to see if there was anything that could be salvaged.

One year later I received a message from my Angels, “Why don’t you check out Prescott as a possible place to relocate?” We had no intentions of “relocating” anywhere! We had survived the tragedy and we loved our life and home in San Diego. However, we decided to listen!

Today I wish to remind us all to listen to our still small voice within. (Sometimes it is a loud voice if you have not been listening to the softer one!) We are all so concerned for the people in San Diego and So. California who are in the midst of Mother Earth cleansing herself. I may not be there to cook and prepare meals but I have offered our home as a place for our friends and family to escape. Yet no one has arrived! They choose to remain close by in hope that they too will be among the fortunate who will have a home to return to.

Today I give thanks to our Divine connection and the voice of our Angels who will guide us if we listen and may even suggest that we relocate. Because we listened three years ago, we are safe, out of immediate danger and looking at the beautiful clear blue skies of Prescott. We are so very grateful for the Divine guidance that brought us to this beautiful place in the mountains of Arizona and we can assist from where we are.

The flag, by the way, that was rescued by this compassionate fireman from our family’s burning home is now placed on my daughter’s home, next door, where their father now resides. Today as we unite in love and compassion for those who are in the midst of the fires in So. California and the floods in New Orleans, the presence of this American flag continues to remind us of this time in our lives when we came together as ONE and survived.

May we all come together as One, in kindness, love, compassion and generosity to assist our brothers and sisters in whatever their needs may be in whatever challenges we may face in these times of transition.

Regardless of where you are located, and whatever is going on in your part of the world, we can come together as One and help others in distress. In prayer, compassion and offering a helping hand to our brothers and sisters, who’s lives are turned upside down, we can create miracles and together live in peace. We are all family and in this world TOGETHER!

Remain calm and centered no matter what, reach out to help your brothers and sisters in need and do not forget to listen to your God within! You will be guided every step of the way.

In Love and Light,
Kerry and her Angels

Copyright © 2007 Kerry Sue Hettleman