I’m happy to report none of my family or friends lost anything in the recent San Diego fires, but I know there is a lot of suffering in the area so for that I’m sorry. I also understand sorry coming from a stranger doesn’t make anything better for those that are suffering. But as we all know as we grow older, ‘life’ happens, and it can either happen to us or we can move through it, learn from it, and move on. People are resilient so I don’t doubt things will get better and ’stuff’ can be replaced.

My niece recently shared a true story with me that puts a different spin on something similar — several years ago during a CA fire a family home was threatened by fire, a daughter in the family had to evacuate her home but her father stayed at her home to defend it against the fire and won! He saved her house as all the homes around hers went up in smoke — but the daughter was upset. You might be wondering why because I did — she was upset because all her neighbors would now get brand new homes but she was stuck with her old home.

So looking at things from all angles is important, what she say is that her home would be the oldest, least updated house on the block. I understand this thought and would agree if I were able to get all my personal possessions out of the home, i.e., pictures etc then all the other stuff could be replaced as long as you had the right coverage. Note, I’m not sure how I would react to loosing my home through a fire but I do know that things are just ‘things’ and as my sister has always told me — if money can solve the problem, then it really isn’t a problem! I always remember this when I get down or worried — and although I hope I never have to deal with this kind of lose in my life, if my path crosses this bridge then I’ll deal with it, remembering if money can solve the problem then it isn’t a problem.