Yesterday was just one of those days where nothing seemed to be going right. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but I felt frustrated and not really like myself. I kept complaining in my mind and out loud about minor annoyances.

Then my world quickly changed. I went from fretting about nothing in particular to making a near split second decision about what mattered most in my life.

I was getting ready to leave for a business function when I happened to glance outside my bedroom window and saw a yellowish-gray sky. Then it dawned on me that for the past twenty or so minutes, I had been ignoring the continual loud sirens racing near my home. I looked out another window in my bedroom and saw a huge cloud of smoke that looked like it was only a few blocks away.

Not wasting any time, I hopped on my bike and road to an area where I’d get a better view of the scene. I rode past dozens of houses where people were already loading up their cars or simply stood with other neighbors in disbelief. Sprinklers were on and people were shouting to family members about what to bring. The fire was indeed close. Military structures were already burning and by the time I reached the viewpoint, the winds had picked up and the fire had jumped the road putting our neighborhood in immediate and potentially grave danger.

I took a few pictures on my phone and began peddling home while contemplating what to pack. Other than a few important files and photos, I couldn’t put my mind around what I would actually put in my car. As my mind drew a blank, I looked over and saw the flames had moved closer to my block. By this time, my neighbors had started and almost finished packing. Rumor had it we were put on standby to evacuate.

I ran into the house and just as I was moving important documents into the car, our phone rang. The reverse 911 system told us we were to evacuate immediately. Nothing was packed! As I threw my computer into the car, the police and other emergency vehicles were on scene and told us to leave immediately. By this time, flames were visible from our house and the wind had picked up. Ashes were everywhere.

Panicked, I couldn’t find my purse or car keys. After a few mad sprints around the house for the keys and a quick flip of the automatic sprinkler switch, I was pulling out at the same time as every other neighbor. Our road was immediately closed to non-emergency vehicles. Out of breath, sweating, and not sure what to think, my husband and I drove away in our cars. Thankfully, I have wonderful relatives in a nearby town who graciously offered to host us for as long as needed (Thanks family!).

As I was driving, I didn’t know what was going to happen. I faced the reality that I might never see my home the same again.

My husband and I spent a few years living in Florida where we were constantly being evacuated for hurricanes, so being in the line of disaster is nothing new. The difference is that we’ve always had several days to prepare and pack. This disaster was different. I think it’s safe to say five minutes (or less) passed from the time we started packing until the time we were pulling out of our driveway. It isn’t until you are actually faced with a situation like this that you find or reaffirm your true values.

Now that we’re back home and had an opportunity to debrief, my husband and I reconfirmed a few previous observations about life:

Attachment to material possessions.
The emergency evacuation confirmed that we are not attached to material possessions. We can enjoy them, but also realize we can do without.

As I was watching the overloaded mini vans, trucks, and sedans around me I couldn’t help but second guess if I could have and should have tried to pack more. Interestingly enough, I realized that I felt content with the few things I had in my car: my laptop (containing my work and pictures), cell phone, and important papers. My husband was in his car in front of me without much more. When we were forced to make a split second decision about what to put in our cars, we didn’t reach for the wedding dishes or clothes. None of it seemed important at the time (not that we had the time if we wanted to pack these things, we didn’t). As much as we love and appreciate everything we own, THINGS are simply not important.

Because the fire was so close and the wind so strong, not coming back to our home was a real possibility. An interesting note: After the initial shock, I felt so calm. So what? We start over. We have each other and nothing else seemed to matter.

The kindness of strangers.
Unfortunately it takes a disaster for people to come out of hiding. We have neighbors, we just never see them and don’t know a lot about them. Yesterday, the entire neighborhood was outside. A neighbor down the street, who I had never seen before sprinted down the block to make sure we had received the evacuation order. She saw that I wasn’t in my house a minute before and wanted to inform me just in case I didn’t know.

At night, news stations reported that no further food or supplies were needed for the evacuation shelter. People and businesses saw the need and stepped up to the plate. The same thing happened during the fires last year.

Attitude.
Attitude really is everything. A doomsday attitude doesn’t do a bit of good, especially when the situation is out of your control.

Another neighbor, I observed, handled the whole situation by standing in her driveway screaming at everyone around her to grab more things from the house while tearfully telling everyone on the phone who would listen (but couldn’t help) that their home was going to burn down. We all handle stress differently, but there are productive and unproductive ways to react. How would you react?

Overview:
We were lucky. Hundreds lost their homes in the fires last year while hundreds of homes are currently at risk in Los Angeles as I type. Two L.A. area people have died and many will have to rebuild. This is minor compared to other disasters that have happened around the world.

This time, we didn’t personally lose anything or anyone. So no, I can’t accurately predict how I would feel actually losing everything. That would be the TRUE test, but I believe that yesterday gave me a fairly accurate glimpse into my own soul and values.

My heart goes out (and has always gone out) to all the victims of disaster and war throughout the world. Humans need to help each other and the planet. We’re all on the same earth, interconnected, and here to survive as well as to thrive together. It’s time for everyone to reassess what’s important. Don’t wait for disaster to strike. This is especially timely when you take the state of the economy into consideration. What really matters to you?

Please, reach out to a neighbor, friend, family member, or stranger in need. Even if they aren’t in need, don’t wait until they are…reach out now. Reach out to the planet as well. We can all help, so figure out your capacity and open your heart. I am keeping this at the forefront of my mind as I continue with my professional and personal life. And life continues…

PS- If you read Spanish, check out my husband’s blog posts concerning the fires here and here.

PPS- This article is coincidentally a very timely piece for Entrepreneur Goddess. It just so happens that I’m hosting Donna Childs, author of Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best next week! Wednesday will be my review of her book and she will guest post on Thursday. Find out what you can do to prepare if something like this happens to you. I’ll be giving away a free copy of the book, so send me an email ASAP if you’re interested in winning!

TOMORROW: Book review of Influence: Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini. I’ll also be giving away a free copy of his book tomorrow, SEND ME AN EMAIL ASAP for a chance to win! First come, first serve!

Fabulous Lighting!
You can’t expect an Entrepreneur Goddess to stay awake at her desk with substandard lighting. In fact, lighting should set the mood for the type of work you want to produce. If you’re an architect, you need great lighting that should reflect the style of your design. Think: stylish spot light. If you’re a romance novel writer you should splurge on sexy mood lighting. Dimming lights and candles would be your calling.

Alternative seating arrangements.
If you’re like me, you probably can’t do all of your work at the desk. I enjoy migrating around the office with laptop in hand. Create a comfortable “break” seating area with an arm chair, couch, or plush cushions and an area rug. Just don’t get too comfortable!

If you see clients in your office on a regular basis, perhaps an alternative style conference table or living room area would be appropriate.

Items of inspiration.
Everyone is inspired by something or someone. Who or what inspires you? Create an office of inspiration with pictures, an alter, good luck charms, or other items of value to you. Consider photos of Fido or a picture of that Mediterranean Cruise you always wanted to take.

Photo Credits: Lamps, Couch, Vision Board

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