smoke-filled memories

(photo: slurry bomber flying over the foothills)

they say that out of all of our senses,

smells trigger memories the best.

just this morning,

i was reminded of this fact

as i stepped out into my hallway;

it reeked of smoke from the wildfire,

which continues to burn homes in the canyon.

the musty, pungent scent

that had been trapped between the plaster walls all night

caused a sudden and unexpected flashback.

in june of 1996, there was a fire in our town.

the house was owned by some family friends.

it was incredibly tragic;

their youngest daughter passed away in the fire,

and their oldest son suffered from third-degree burns.

and that smell--the smoke--

reminded me of my desire to help them,

but not quite knowing what i could do.

eventually, i found a way to contribute:

my mom found some photos in the rubble,

and we worked diligently to salvage them.

once this disaster comes to a close,

i'm hoping i can do the same

for someone in this community.