San Diego Fires

Mother Nature is a bitch. Anyone who watches the news and sees dozens of communities get wrecked several times a year by hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, mudslides, etc. would agree that there ain't no way to bargain with nature. Sometimes I wonder (and this makes me worry a little less, so humor me) if God and Mother Nature just come to blows, you know? I mean, if God created the earth, then it would follow that he created Mother Nature to handle the environment, right? And maybe sometimes she just behaves like a petulant teenager. She's all, "You think you're so damn great, God, with all your omnipotence and infinite love. Well check it out -- I'm gonna throw down some Santa Ana winds and destroy a bunch of homes, just because I CAN." And God's like, "Sigh. Here we go again."

I don't know. What I do know is that Tristan arrived safely in San Diego on Thursday, and now 250,000 people have been evacuated due to the wildfires that are tearing through Southern California. He's safe, and he's on what's all-but-an-island off the coast of the city. But the fires are spreading rapidly and are fueled by the Santa Ana winds that are expected to last until Wednesday. Having Tristan located in the middle of an area that is making national news is just astounding to me. It terrifies me, frankly, even though I am trying to trust that everything will be okay. It also reminds me that there are literally thousands of people right now who are freaking out about the state of their homes and precious belongings. Lives are so much more important than just *stuff,* but I can't imagine the upheaval, fear, and general anxiety that the residents of San Diego county (and northward) must be feeling.

I'm sending up prayer after prayer for the safety of my loved ones -- my fiance, his brother, their grandmother and her companion, as well as the five family friends I have in the area. Please, if you pray or send good vibes or whatever, pray for strength for the firefighters and volunteers who are facing a disastrous situation, wisdom for the government officials, and safety for everyone. (Especially Tristan, okay?)