Many of you have heard of the California wildfires from the past two weeks. It has been through various email, blogs and social-networking functions that I have learned that I knew one of the firefighters that died. I didn't know him well. We went to school together in another lifetime, and even then our paths passed so briefly that while I may have thought of him in passing over the years we were never good friends.
Tonight, a mutual classmate sent me a few links that haven broken my heart. His wife was pregnant. Eight and a half months pregnant with their first child. I am sick with grief. For her. For him. For the baby that will never feel the touch of her father on this earth.
In one sense it feels ridiculous to hurt over someone I barely knew. But I look at my children, think of my husband. And I ache. In every fragment of my being.
Apparently Arnie was a tattoo fanatic, and was featured on LA Ink. If nothing else, please take just a minute to look at the two links I've posted here. Do whatever it is you do when you send good thoughts to someone, whether it is to pray, light a candle, close your eyes and take a breath. Hell, go out and get a tattoo. There is a hole out there in the fabric of the universe that is parenthood. Let's try and fill it up. If but for a moment.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Sometimes the World Is Too Small
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8 comments:
Wow. Nothing to say but so much respect for those guys and what they do. He died near the homes of friends of mine...so many people I know still have homes because those guys were out there working their asses off.
Man... That's sad. The word Hero has been often abused in the last 8 years, but this guy was the real thing.
How sad. That poor almost-mommy's world is gone. There are some things in this world that my brain just can't seem to wrap itself around, and this is one of them. I really hope things work out for her and the soon-to-be little one.
What a terribly sad story. It hurts my heart to think of that fatherless child.
When I was in college, one of my housemates spent his summers working on crews that helped contain wild fires. He traveled all over the country doing his part, and we always worried for his safety.
Even though you hadn't kept up with him, you knew him. And the loss is real . . .
Hearing stuff like this messes me up too... I checked out the links.. and cried.
The are no words that truly express the gratitude the entirety of society owes to the people who run towards the trouble from which logical people flee.
I am keeping a good thought for you, your friend, his child, and all the children of fallen heroes today.
Oh, my. That just absolutely breaks my heart. I'm sorry for your sadness and for his child's and wife's loss. My heart aches for them.
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