Recently, my home in Yorba Linda, California was threatened by the unexpected, ravaging forces of fire. The fires moved randomly through my community. The safety of my wooden home was at the mercy of the wind and the movement of flaming debris traveling through the thick black and orange sky.

It was in these unexpected moments that Yorba Linda families were asked to grab what they needed and evacuate the area. My daughter, Lauren, was home alone with our two pets when the official notice came to leave the threatened area. She grabbed our cat and dog, some pet food, a few clothes, a pair of worn pink ballet shoes, some jewelry that had been given to her as a gift, one pillow case, and family pictures.

Lauren had to wrestle the congested road leaving our complex for what seemed like an eternity. She was in the bumper to bumper nightmare with our cat and dog. She saw the fire skip from the river bed by our home to our neighboring community, Anaheim Hills. The subtle shift in the wind moved the fire away from her (our home) and moved swiftly through a condominium complex on the other side of a major freeway.

Major freeways had to be closed. People could not return home. The fires paralyzed our lives for several days. Families that were not instructed to evacuate, had to stay indoors, and stay alert to any new developments in new fires. It was the conditions of the dry land and the winds that created these uncertain hours.

We all experienced the choking sensation from the thick black smoke that consumed our community. It was so hard to breathe and no one felt safe within miles of these fire storms.

Families that lost their homes that weekend; scoured the ashes for “anything” they could find. It was in the terror of these moments, that we took a long hard look at the meaning of our lives. Life is so unpredictable and sometimes fragile. We had the unexpected opportunity to pause and reflect on what was really important.

When we were able to return home, I was so happy to see every detail of my living space and belongings. I cried and kissed my old worn pajamas that were in a heap on the bathroom floor. Our dog and cat cradled themselves between my daughter’s legs for their first night back in our home. In the forces of destruction, we found each other and everything we so often take for granted.

Our blazing city became the single most powerful thought in my mind for over 24 hours. This nightmare prompted me to wake up and recognize how many more fires, figuratively speaking, were burning in the lives of people all over the world.

How often do we sit and watch a television screen in hopes that we might be entertained? We are so disconnected from the strife of others. We do not usually recognize pain until we are in pain too. It is so discouraging to realize that fires are burning all over the planet, but the majority of our population is fixated on the lives of false idols. We are in desperate need of reshaping our culture. It is time to sift through the remains of our lives and discover what is truly valuable.