There’s that sunshine again. It’s going to be another sunny, warm day.

And yet, all that’s wanted is rain. A heavy soaking rain. Something to dampen the fire that burns all around us. Unimaginable. Thousands of people wander around with aching brains, trying to figure out how to fill in this gap of time, this “Not Normal” space.

Imagine paying for a home that is now nothing but ashes on the ground. Imagine waiting for an insurance company to decide whether or not to cover the costs. Imagine suddenly thinking about something you wish you’d grabbed before evacuating. My brain aches thinking about the suddenness of it all.

I went for a walk. Captured the early morning sunrise. It looked so hopeful. That’s the morning sky for you. And the nightly sunsets are displays of gratitude for me. So I stop to say “Thank You” for both. For being given another day and then for having the opportunity to use it. And I also pray. Pray for the people wandering around in strange places, looking for moments of hope, clarity, and love. Especially love. Understanding they are trying to grab onto whatever life preserver is near so they can stay afloat until a new “normal” comes into view.

Loss is always the same, isn’t it? Leaving a person with a past that’s become nothing but ashes on the ground. Leaving you grappling for something to hold on to while trying to learn how to breathe again.

And you are dumbstruck by that sun. It keeps coming up daily, throwing out blinding colors, wrapping you with warmth, and seeming to say, “Don’t worry. In time, everything will be okay. You find that hard to believe but the sun persists. Every day, throwing out that life preserver. Close your eyes. Feel the warmth. Breathe.