Close Call or Near Miss

Another day, another fire. This time the fire was to our north, across the street and at night. It’s always odd to see fire trucks so close to your house and then to have them twice in two days seems really odd.

We had just settled in to watch an episode of Star Trek: The New Generation, when I heard the boom. This time it was not thunder, but actually something blowing up. I peeked through the blinds and I could see people gathering in the church parking lot across the street from our home. My wife and I ran out to see flames rising into the air behind the house immediately next to the church and kitty-corner from our home.

A storage shed was on fire and there were gas cans, junk, and old cars in and around the flames. Soon four fire trucks showed up and started hooking up their hoses and raising their boom ladders. The newsmen claimed the flames went 50-100’ high. We didn’t know if we agreed with tat, but it sounds good in the story. It wasn’t long, however, and the army of firemen had the flames doused and the big excitement was over.

People had poured out of their homes from all over. We saw neighbors that we haven’t seen in years! Some we spoke to, others we will wait for the next neighborhood catastrophe. I had thought everyone was asleep at that hour as the excitement lasted right up to about midnight, apparently people are still awake. We learn that the previous' emergency was also a fire. A fixture had fallen in the kitchen and the sparks had ignited the flames.

Two fires in two days, one on each side of the house. Ummm. Makes one stop and think. I decided to stop for a minute and say a short prayer this evening. Not that I think that the other people were being punished for similar sins. My prayer was how thankful that the fires had missed, the lightening had missed and the opportunity to acknowledge my good fortunes had not been missed.

Tragedy can hit so suddenly, as fast as a strike of lightening or electrical spark, yet we take so much for granted. Take some time and be thankful for what you got, and take an audit of what around you is really important and what is not. You may have to make a quick decision on what is and what is not worth saving. It’s best to already know.