De-Ja-Vu

I don’t know how to spell it … but that is what it is for me today …

I was so saddened to learn of another fatal off-campus house fire.  This one, at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.  Once again, the similarities between Liz’s fire and this one are hauntingly similar … early morning fire call, 2 girls and one guy … each found on the floor in their bedrooms … smoke inhalation … even the day was the same … a beautiful sunny Saturday. 

I recall that day  … the confusion, the complete and utter disbelief … the bargaining with God, the tiniest of hope that it wasn’t true … then amazingly the peace that washed over me when I learned it was … the media calling us, knocking on our door … wanting to talk to us … wanting to know … how did we feel …  I just wanted the craziness to end … I wanted to take a deep breath and for someone to say it was all just a big mistake … it wasn’t true … but it didn’t happen and very quickly reality stepped in.  What a difference a day can make.

I’ve come a long way since that fateful day … almost 5 years ago … but days like today bring it back.  Alot has happened in these years … and  I am stronger now than I have ever been … and my purpose now is to be there …  to reach out to those families and help them however I can.  They have become members of a club that shouldn’t exist … that you don’t get a choice on whether to join.

Please send light and love and most of all peace to those hurting families.