Ten days ago our house caught fire. It amazes me how much has happened since then. The fire marshal determined that the cause of the fire was a failed ballast on an older overhead fluorescent light in the mud/laundry room. The device stopped working, heated up, caught fire and ignited the roof framing it was improperly attached too. This part of our house was an addition put on by the previous owner decades ago. The construction was shoddy. We were a few months away from remodeling it. No need for that now.
Tara, Sophia, Hollis and I are settling into our temporary home on College View Drive on the Warren Wilson College Campus. Our burned out 950 sq ft home has been replaced by a sprawling 3000 sq ft rancher. Seven year old Hollis the first day we moved in: “I get it. This is what people call a mansion. In mansions there are enough bathrooms for everyone to use one at the same time!” The view of the majestic Great Craggy Mountains is inspiring. It is exciting watching the weather role into the valley. We are happy to have a roof over our head only ½ mile from our land.
Insurance is not insurance. It is the illusion of insurance, for it is subject to interpretation. We are ‘working’ with our insurance company as they determine what we can salvage from the fire and, thus, what they will not cover. According to the company we can use three of the four walls by taking them back to the framing, and we can use the existing foundation since the fire was in the attic and did not get down into the basement. I hope they are right because when I step inside the remains- walls charred with smoke, roof burned away, floors soaked with fire retardant, insulation and ceiling, basement flooded, the back of the house in ashes- it is hard to imagine reusing anything. I just hope they are right. And, yes, I will get a second opinion.
While the saga shifts from immediate crisis to ongoing struggle, I continue to be uplifted by the incredible outpouring of love, compassion and support emanating from our community. As I turn over the charred coin I discover a shinny side. People. Many days I struggle to maintain hope for humanity. I have to reach down deep into my well to draw enough courage to confront the challenges facing the planet. And when asked what is wrong with the planet, I typically respond, “People.” I do not mean to be cynical, just honest.
But that is not the case today, nor has it been since I arrived at the scene of my house burning. My current perspective- that of a wounded man in need of help- has revived my faith in people. Everywhere I go I see someone who wants to give me a hug and tell me they are thinking of me and that they are there for my family and that they feel our pain and that they love me. What a beautiful thing to encounter. When we act from love, we are wonderful. I see and feel that truth more clearly than I ever have. And I can imagine how much more beautiful and just the world would be if people supported one another the way people are supporting Tara, Sophia, Hollis and me right now. I see the potential. It is real. Because, the only real insurance- the only safety net to catch us when we fall- is strong and committed community. We need each other. We really do.
So, thank you everyone. In the face of destruction, your love and support provides me and my family the strength we need to carry on. Keep it flowing. We need all we can get.
Love,
Stan
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