Transformation

It is so difficult to see the changes that occur on our journey because the biggest changes occur during the times of terrible transformation. It is during these times that the miracles occur - yet they are the miracles that hurt our hearts.

The current mid-east conflagration is a big example. My dear friend is Jewish and very active in her community. She wrote a note that said it so well when she said "there are no winners and there are no losers in this situation."

Yet is has always been. I had a friend whose family was involved in Hurricane Katrina which literally destroyed New Orleans and caused huge changes in the landscape and among the residents of the area.

In the end, the woman's son worked the following two years after the hurricane helping take out destroyed homes. He then was involved in helping rebuild new homes and houses. A number of local programs started which included restoration of the Habitat for Humanity programs. The change was wrenching and some families had to go through fights with FEMA to get benefits.

In the 1970's I was a member of the California National Guard. In the fall, there was a forest fire in the Kyburz area and our unit was activated. When we arrived on the scene there were gathering areas for those who had been evacuated.

We set up our Guard units to support the California fire professionals. So I ended up working 16 hours on and 8 hours off working with transportation and scheduling. We made sure supplies and personnel got to where the fire was located and that the most effective scheduling made the best use of supplies.

The amazing thing for me was the support built around making sure the firefighting teams had the proper food (and plenty of it) along with places to sleep and any other needs that kept everyone on the fire lines. Everyone worked together and sacrificed what it took to get the job done. There were extraordinary acts of kindness done during our eight days of service. These are the part of the terrible tragedies we don't always see - the miracles that occur as humans step up in a deeper way to connect to the Divine and to each other.

The Camp Fire started in November of 2018. It burned more than 18,000 structures and most of the destruction occurred in the first four hours of the fire.

Meanwhile a 93-year-old woman stood on her front porch hoping someone would remember her. Then her garbageman showed up. Margaret Newsum continues her story, "I got up that morning and had oatmeal and turned the TV on." I was alone with my two indoor cats.

However when she stepped out on her porch, a familiar face arrived in his brand-new great big green garbage truck. He drove up in a great big green monster truck. I've always called him my private worker.

He looked at me and said, "You're not staying here. We've got to get you out of here." He decided to break company protocol and loaded her into his truck with the help of people nearby. They carefully lifted her aboard because she was also recovering from a broken back. This was the result of Cummings hearing about the fire; Cumming's boss had sent him home.

As he said, "I'd been on that route for eight years and I know I had older people and they needed help. I went to 45 to 50 people and checked in and she was the last one on my list.

The two had time to talk and he learned she'd beat cancer three times and ended up wishing he'd known her when she was younger. She took up hang gliding at the age of 70. She was one of the backup singers for the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, and Dean Martin).

In the end Cummings saw a human being, not just another garbage pick-up. In his five-hour trip down the hill with Margaret he realized how special she was. "She's the type of woman I oould have married" I glad I went back!!

Miracles in the time of transformation........