I wake again to the glow in the too near hills not far from my home.  I have packed and unpacked, each time taking some different and leaving more.  I have not written here for a long long time as the day to day took over and now, what matters most is more important then ever!  I do not have the words to describe the way we are living now in my beloved Sonoma County.  I stopped counting my dearest friends, colleagues, clients, businesses, buildings, wineries, estates, ranches, farms, animals….the list goes on and on for the total losses, the fires leaving nothing but ash.

What is surfacing is community building, those that can help are in droves. Emergency services, food, clothing, animal shelters, evacuations centers and then the amazing FIREFIGHTERS! This I am blessed and for the respite that does come in a power nap, a good night sleep, a comforting word, the kindness of a stranger and the many restaurants that are serving us.

This is what I know:  Our stuff doesn’t matter, our connections due. Each of us respond in our own individual way and sometimes outwardly show stress and others do not.  This is not a time to be alone, a stranger or heroic.  Asked for hugs on a regular basis and everyone, even those far away are connected feel afraid, grief-stricken and helpless.

What matters most right now is to be grateful that you/we are safe and someone knows or many people know where we are.  Seek out comfort however you can and if you are really able, volunteer!

I plan on writing right from the heart these days cuz it is all we got now!