What We Lose in a Fire...

What we lose in a fire......


There was a fire recently in the Fairmount Area of Philadelphia the other day.  The fire was in a row home and there were 12 souls taken at the time (adults and children).  I have been reading about this story for the last few days and it has literally tugged at my heart.  I watched on as did the neighbors that lived in proximity while standing across the street wrapped in blankets peering in disbelief.  Tears were in the eyes of everyone looking on and frustration was found on the face of every rescue worker on the scene.

Later days passed however I recently had a dream about the fire.   This time it was now my family home that was engulfed in flames and my husband and daughter were still in the home trying to escape.   I was at the front door trying to get to them however a thick black wall of smoke held me back from entering the house.   I do not remember all the details however I was able to get them out somehow…. eventually.   

When I woke from my dream I was shaken, and I even questioned if perhaps there was really a fire!  Reassurance of peering out the bedroom and not seeing smoke provided relief however the dream still left me with a feeling of despair. 

What do we do when we feel hopeless, vulnerable and unable to do anything?   I recall in my dreams yelling out but my voice was suppressed (has that ever happened to you in a dream?)    Naturally I was relieved to have my family back.  Those two are my precious gifts that I could not bear to lose. 

Sitting up in my bed I recounted the events of that Fairmount fire. While broken, I felt I needed to find a resemblance of hope or meaning.

The fire not only took every possession ever owned, it took their loved ones as well.   How does one make sense of that!  I needed to understand the logic behind what happened at this fire and how the loved ones left behind to grieve are to find solace. 

How do you stand and look on as your life appears to dissipate in front of your eyes and you need to find the strength to move forward?

Here’s the thing….

You survived…. so you are MEANT to move forward.  You just have to find out why.  I am a firm believer that what we are made to withstand has a purpose that is intended to make us stronger.  ALWAYS STRONGER even we feel fragile. 

The poem INVICTUS is a reminder of just what we are intended to do…to be strong.  Even in the face of the unfathomable the poem speaks to the need to show courage when it is the least in our grasps.  

We are captains of our fate, masters of our souls. Every single movement we make in life leads us to the next step and while sometimes it can be predicted what is next, clearly sometimes it is not. There are things we can not control but then we have to find the courage to say.

That is okay.  WHAT CAN I CONTROL?  Here is what I could offer to the families in mourning.  Perhaps you are here to comfort someone else’s loss.  Your strength is meant to be a pillar for someone with an equal or greater (if possible) loss than yours.  Perhaps you are here for lessons learned, to be an advocate for protecting overcrowded homes with limited resources.  Perhaps you are here to educate and empower others to walk in safety and to recognize opportunities to be more diligent.  Perhaps you are here for your own internal searching, to identify what is MOST important in life and what you can do to embrace every moment even further as a gift.   Could be several reasons why you survived.   The fact is you did and with that MAKE IT COUNT!

What I am saying is that after we have shed our tears and cried until our face is dry, we must come to these terms.   If we don’t make sense out of it then the fire claims another victim…. YOU.

Be intentional with every move you make in life and MAKE SURE it is moving towards your being happy.  THAT CAN BE AS SMALL as embracing a hand while you are watching a TV show together, having the pizza night with family at the table, diving into a good book you have been eager to read.  Maybe it just means sitting on the steps and looking up to appreciate the beautiful sky that covers us. 





NO MATTER HOW SMALL IT ISN’T SMALL IF IT MAKES US HAPPY

I hold space for the families from this lost. I can only imagine how devastating this must be. I suppose I just want to hold the space for WHEN THEY ARE READY to realize…. you can rise from this. There is a lesson in the madness, there is a life after…. what we have lost in the fire.

If you would like to know more about the unfortunate incident and where you can help or support the extended family please see link below.

Fairmount fire: Where to donate to help those affected (inquirer.com)

You have 24 hours each day. Ensure that you’re using them wisely!

Leslie Crudup is Owner of LCrudup Coaching and loves keeping busy if it helps people with their dreams!

www.lcrudupcoaching.com

#busyleslie #beaxtraordinary #beabrilliant

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