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The Western Edge

My heart goes out to the people of Los Angeles during this time of devastation. I have a deep visceral connection to one of the areas that was obliterated by the fire. Altadena was the last place my family lived before we relocated to Utah (the place my stepfather could better support us). I was 16 when I wandered those shadowy evergreen neighborhoods that were particularly beautiful at Christmastime.

Now that others have been so violently displaced from the area, I wonder where they will relocate their lives. It’s likely many will work hard to re-establish themselves, with the grit that living in the West demands. This last year I spent in Idaho was a smoky one, too, from summertime ignitions. The threat of wildfire is prominent for one too many.

If conditions remain extreme we will continue living on the edge between inhabitable and uninhabitable space. It’s my hope and prayer that the slopes of our mountains continue to be our neighborhoods. They offer a special tranquility and refuge to other kinds of calamities.

My family in Santa Clarita, CA

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