Slide Fire and life..

Thursday, May 22, 2014, 2:56 AM Flagstaff, 10:57 AM Salisbury

Since last evening I've been glued to my phone and netbook watching the events taking place around my home in Flagstaff due to the Slide Fire.  A couple of my friends have asked if there is anything they can do for me in connection with my home.  I watch posts and news reports about neighbors getting ready to evacuate or have already.  What to take and how much my car/truck will hold?  Do I stay to the last minute or leave early?  I’m now sitting in a pub in Salisbury pondering several of these questions and one more.  Should I book a flight home and head up to Flagstaff?   What would I take seems to be the biggest question?  As I think about it I find the question overwhelming.  My first thought is clothes, a box of old pictures, and then it becomes bigger.  Can’t take my new kitchen, can’t get my truck out as it’s not running yet again, can’t take my bed, can’t take my big tool box or air compressor, can’t take all the chainsaws, there is so much I can’t take whatever will I do without all this stuff? 

Upon return from traveling the Camino de Santiago in 2012 I looked around at all the “stuff” that I’ve acquired and wonder “WHY?”  I have just spent 30 days traveling and having a grand time with just two changes of clothes and a tooth brush.  Why on earth did I need all this stuff which the more I gather seems to tie me down not set me free?   As I inventoried all the stuff I felt the weight of it pushing me down almost stopping my feet from moving.  I made a decision to plan on how to unburden myself.   Clean up the place and get rid of things I’m not using = not done.  Spend the winter getting the house ready to rent out putting some money in my pocket = not done.  Look for a place closer to town so I could use my bike or walk rather than drive = not done.  Well not gotten much done to lighten the load?   Going to do so much an ended up doing so little, but ignoring the weight.  Now nature, with the help of a careless human, may take care of all of that.   So I've decided I’d just take clothes and a download from my computer.   I kidded with a friend of mine yesterday that I’d collect the insurance money and start over new.  I've done it before, several times, and can do it again.  I have my health, my kids, grand-kids and family don’t need a hell of a lot more than that do I?  The rest is just STUFF!

I'll not be booking a flight home as there in not much to be done except pray that my friends in Flagstaff and what they hold dear are safe during this trying time.