An Epic Day
It was a wild morning. We awoke to loud rumbles of thunder, and stunning flashes of serrated lightning that sliced the sky and in their brief moment illuminated everything. There were theatrical clouds of every type.
And there was rain. At first the rain was just a hint, almost a wish, and then it turned into a downpour. Our screened windows were open wide, and wind and rain-scent rushed through the house, like a long yearned-for traveler coming in from the hills, eager to take off his boots, shake hands, and share stories. You couldn’t possibly be here and not feel the magic and excitement.
That is, until the call came in. Fire on the West end of the Ranch. Prepare to evacuate.
Seriously, what is it with this year?! Apocalyptic Bingo, says my friend Diane. Next perhaps a dark cloud of locusts, or a tsunami, with mailboxes bobbing around in the water.
One of those magnificent lightning bolts had struck the backcountry, and although there was no evidence of fire near us, it was easy to imagine flames spreading quickly through the dry brush. We pulled out our “to go” bags…essential toilet articles, eyeglasses, computer back-up drive, passport (as if), cables, cash, that sort of thing.
I grabbed a change of clothing and decided not to even contemplate the paintings, photos, and little valued items that would be painful to lose. It was all too overwhelming. But I put my father’s butterfly tray into a pillowcase, and set it by the door.
We waited. The temperature was eerily warm. A lazy passivity came over me, and I lay on the couch and dozed. In the afternoon, we got a reassuring phone call that the fire had been contained and all was well.
We went down to the beach, and even I, notorious non-swimmer, thought about how good it would feel to get wet. The train went by, sea birds scattered, a young girl rode a horse the color of her hair, and the prevailing mood was one of gratitude.
Every day is an epic. Even the days that start with magic can suddenly turn bad, and the bad days can get worse, but when they don’t, we see anew how wonderful life is.
What would we take? Practically nothing. What will we miss? All of it.