After watching daily broadcasts of the terrifying firestorms engulfing Northern California, I cannot find the words to express my dismay and compassion for all the people affected by this unprecedented catastrophe.
The sheer size of this disaster boggles the mind. According to news channels, over 4000 homes and businesses have been destroyed. Aerial views of the fire areas are eerily reminiscent of photos taken after the bombing of Hiroshima. It is an apocalyptic vision of hell.
My heart goes out to all the people who lost their homes. It is a terrible emotional and financial blow, especially for senior citizens; they might find it more difficult to recover from this heart-rending shock. When you lose your home, you lose a good part of your life and for older folks, the clock is ticking.
And then, you have to find a new place to live while your house is rebuilt. It is going to be very difficult. There is already an acute shortage of housing in this area and it will get worse before it gets better.
Considering the enormity of the task, finding a sufficient number of architects, contractors, and skilled construction workers to do the job is going to be arduous.
Dealing with insurance companies is also going to be laborious and frustrating. A lot of paperwork is going to be involved and proving ownership of a multitude of items will be problematic.
Some pragmatic individuals though have taken this catastrophe in stride. I know for instance of some people who were booked for a vacation. Instead of cancelling and lamenting about their misery, they decided to go ahead and enjoy their getaway. They reasoned that there was not much they could do by staying and they decided to enjoy their vacation before mourning their losses.
In such critical times, family, as well as friends’ ties, is crucial. Moral support and practical assistance help to ease the blow for the unfortunates.
There is no doubt that California will recover. It is one of most dynamic and progressive state in the Union and its politicians are more willing to assist their constituents than anywhere else. No matter what the odds, California will thrive and show the way to the nation again!
However long the night, the dawn will break. African Proverb
Alain