Some things are never forgotten

I must admit I think I had almost forgotten what today was. I had almost forgotten until I happily began planning for the Halloween trick-or treating tomorrow night. That was when it hit me like a ton a of brick, five years ago today I was doing much the same things as I am today with a few exceptions of getting ready to go to work for my second shift position at Hutchingtons. I was washing laundry, planning the exciting following night of taking my son trick-or-treating, and a rather happy individual as I pulled my car out of our driveway from my lovely three bedroom home complete with the two year old toddler and daddy waving goodbye from the storm door. I gazed out my rear view mirror and smiled until the family and my home was out of sight. I had no idea as I left that afternoon that I would never again see my family waving goodbye from the door of that home. My life forever changed in an instant that night as my home and all my belongings disintegrated from smoldering heat. I went from having a beautiful home, enough clothing for my family and at least another, and enough ceramics to open my own museum to having no material possessions except for the clothes on my back. The only positive of the entire event was none of my family luckily was harmed. My son had went to visit his Ma and Pa that evening and my husband had went to get the seat covers for my car. My loving fur-ball kitty cat Tiger (Ty) was never found but I have hopes he escaped the flames from an open window. Call it what you want high hopes, denial, or just plain stubborn but I think I have seen him up the road in the field dividing my in-laws homes from their neighbors.

I learned many things that night. I learned that the most important things in my life was not what I owned but those I love. I learned in a time of need and tragedy a small community pulled together to take care of their own. I learned the feeling of starting over, of having nothing but the clothes on your back and those who love you, and I learned regardless of time whether it be days, weeks, months, or years some things in life are never forgotten.

So here I am five years later. I have a beautiful four bedroom home, enough clothes to clothe myself and at least one more family, and those same loving people. The experience was a terrible one I would not wish on anyone but with the mindset I have I must find something good that came of it and I have. I may never forget the pain and the loss but I will also never forget the kindness, the caring, and the way I was forever changed. Today, on the 5th anniversary of a tragic event that changed my life forever I would like to extend my appreciation, love, and gratitude to all those who helped my family in their extreme time of need.

  
Thank you kindly Moss Volunteer Fire Department, my family, friends, coworkers, local businesses, and those I did not even know who gave what they could to give me back a portion of my life.