Friday, December 29, 2017

Friday, December 29, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2007. Mattie was 5 years old and that evening we walked to the National Mall to see National Christmas Tree in front of the White House. Behind Mattie was the National Christmas Tree. I will never forget how FRIGID it was that night, and I am so glad despite the cold that we captured that moment in time. As visiting the National tree wasn't a tradition. Yet I remember how much fun Mattie had looking at each of the State trees (that surround the National big tree), seeing the toy trains running around the National tree, and also experiencing a real yule log. The Mall doesn't have a yule log anymore, I suppose for safety reasons. But in 2007, I can't tell you how wonderful it was to feel the warmth of the yule log on a cold winter night. 


Quote of the day: There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.' No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster. ~ Dalai Lama XIV

Although I can appreciate tonight's quote, I am not sure what sort of STRENGTH one can gain over today's deadliest fire in New York. I woke up today to this awful news and at first I did not know what part of NY this apartment building was located. So I immediately went on-line to find out as my lifetime friend lives in NYC. When I saw the apartment was located in the Bronx, I knew my friend was okay. Then I continued to read the story about this horrific tragedy. 

Any tragedy is terrible, but a senseless one, and one that could have been prevented to me is the worst kind. I will put aside how the fire was started..... as it was reported to be started by a child, and a child with a known interest in fire.... and move to what we all should learn from this! 

If a fire should break out in any space, the key is to not feed the fire with air. Which of course is a natural mistake, because when there is a fire we want to open doors and windows. However, in this case, after the fire was started on the first floor, the family escaped the rage and left their apartment door open. Open for the fire to seek air by going into the hallways and the stairwell. As the city fire commissioner said, the key is to CLOSE the DOOR! That is the overall take away message from this tragedy. 

Twelve people died in this blaze and many were children. Another 12 were rescued by firefighters, who had their work cut out for them with frigid temperatures and any dripping water from the fire hoses, froze. 

But here is what got me. This is a photo of a whole family killed in the fire, comprised of a mom (in yellow), her two small children (shown below), and the woman's niece (top left). The children were two and seven years of age. All of this makes me pause, because when I see children dying for no reason, it is deeply upsetting. Who knows what potential these children had, what their lives could have been like, or what our community and world will be missing by their death. Needless to say, we know that those who remain behind, are transformed personally by this loss. One doesn't expect to die in a tragedy in one's own home. A home should be a safe place.

A tragedy like this could happen to any one of us. Dying in a fire or dying from childhood cancer, may be considered rare (and can't happen to me!), until this happens to you or someone you know. Not unlike cancer, in this particular circumstance, so much was out of the residents' control. I found myself at first angered at the mom who allowed her child to play with fire, angered by the fact that authorities knew this child has a history of being interested in fire, and then upset to learn that the family abandoned the apartment where the fire started without regard to fellow neighbors. I clearly do not know the whole story and can't judge the scene without more information, but one thing is for certain.... tragedies and accidents happen, but it is how we react to them and treat others in the process that can make all the difference.