People have always tried to make sense of the unthinkable. Is a fire such as we are experiencing in California just the way life is, or is it more than that?
I think of the myth of the phoenix, the beautiful bird that resides in Paradise. With feathers of red and orange and sometimes purple, the phoenix sings a song of such beauty that it stops the sun as it is rising. The myth says that a spark from the sun ignites the bird and its nest. But three days later, it rises from the ashes to sing again.
Even as we wonder, “What can I do?” “How can I help?” L.A. is beginning to rise again as people from all over California act on these questions. We are at heart compassionate and caring when disaster happens.
When the magnitude of destruction feels overwhelming, it’s natural to feel helpless. Helplessness can be transformed into purpose when we focus on what is within our power. When we are not in the immediate area of the fire, what will make a difference are small acts of kindness, compassion and support. These small acts ripple outwards like waves of a pond in which a stone has been dropped. We can never know where one small act will find its way to lift the people directly affected.
Charred and scarred, the burned areas will rise again, not in three days like the phoenix but in the time it takes.
We can prepare ourselves in many ways to face an unexpected disaster in our own lives. There is so much information on how to do that. One thing to know is that preparedness will tamp down our anxiety.
There is healthy fear that will lead us to prepare and drive us to action, but anxiety is like the smoke of the fire – it clouds our vision and fills us with “what-ifs” that may never come true. Once we’ve prepared, anxiety only keeps us trapped in the ashes, unable to rise.
Individually and collectively, we can find ways to help the people and their pets come through this tragedy.
I once heard a story about a hummingbird busily taking a drop of water at a time to a burning forest. The other animals mocked her: “What difference do you think that will make?” The small bird replied, “I’m doing what I can do.”
Each of us, doing what we can no matter how little it may seem, builds a strong foundation for renewal. After doing what we can, letting go means we must trust the process, whether that means trusting emergency responders, the support of loved ones or simply the flow of life itself.
It doesn’t mean we stop caring; it means we stop clinging to what we can’t control. Even as we ask, “How may I help?” let’s know that our compassionate heart will lead the way.
The Rev. Linda McNamar is a Laguna Woods Village resident.
Hence then, the article about in disasters kindness compassion and support can make a difference was published today ( ) and is available on The Orange County Register ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( In disasters, kindness, compassion and support can make a difference )
Also on site :
- Microsoft, Meta, and Google just announced billions more in AI spending. Only Google convinced investors it’s paying off
- 2026 Billboard Women in Music Red Carpet: The Best Photos
- Meta’s AI Is Delivering but Comes With a Hefty Price Tag .. PYMNTS.com