I’m certain that right now many are overwhelmed. My heart goes out to all the families who have lost your loved ones from the wildfires. I pray that you find some sense of peacefulness during this time of loss, especially since the way they passed was so horrific. I’m so very sorry for your losses.

To all those blue collar and white collar families who had everything you had in your homes, I am praying that God sends you a sense of calm, to move forward. I know that hope is a hard thing to find in the face of devastation. But please pray and meditate to God, and ask for his comfort and guidance. Clearing your mind and allowing it to quiet, opens your heart and minds to see the path forward.

When my loss occurred, I was inconsolable and just so sad. I felt numb and just caught my mind thinking over a list of everything that was then gone. I couldn’t stop it, even though I desperately wanted some sense of normalcy. I was just completely overwhelmed by the prospect of trying to start over. Hope was difficult to come by. I just wanted to be left alone to mourn all the belongings, legacies I couldn’t carry, and all those memories.

That tunnel is very, very long and dark. You have to feel your way through it by feeling along the walls to keep going forward. But there is light available. If you look to the future and try to set goals. Start general, with the main obstacles to tackle first. Deciding if you stay and rebuild or move on. Get a pad of paper to make lists. Prioritize what needs to done immediately, like getting copies of documents lost, replacing medications you didn’t grab. But list what you know you need to do. The key to surviving the first few days, is organizing those thoughts and keeping your mind busy.

Hope can be different for many people. Find the thing that brings it for you. Be that visiting with others who are suffering and connecting with those suffering with you. Walking on the beach to clear your spirit, being in nature can give much comfort. Seek out a place of worship, that follows your beliefs. Being there and meeting new friends, communing with God always gives peace. If counciling helps seek out all those services available to you, right now.

I wish you all the best and I send my spiritual love and support. May god bless you.