Adventures at Rasa Ranch #62

[Guest guest]

10/19/02 "The Willies"

 

A couple of days ago I was sitting at the computer holding Baby Zack,

when Ananda ran in with concern written across her face. "Mommy, the

fireplanes are here! I am afraid the fire will burn our house!"

 

I had been vaguely aware of airplane engine sounds but hadn't heard

any sirens and didn't think much of it. I guess Ananda had recalled

last year's fire season when one came so close that we had ashes

falling like snow over our beloved trees and home.

 

Promptly I ex'd out the boxes, got offline, and took her hand. As I

rose I looked right into her eyes and said, "Let's be afraid

together, okay?" She said okay, and in that moment the fear was

gone. We headed outside where we saw Jim standing up the driveway

with binoculars pointed at a plume of distant smoke in the sky.

Three red and white planes were taking turns arching directly

overhead at different heights as the circle they were making closed

in over its mark.

 

"I feel funny in my tummy," Ananda told me. I nodded and said, "Me

too," as we caught up with Jim, who had that wiggly feeling in his

chest also. We all watched, Bodhi included, and Ananda and her dad

took turns with the binos. We stood there together for a long while,

until the pitch of the engines went up and the planes abandoned their

cautious, low-flying mode and started a beeline back to their

homebase.

 

There was adrenaline, for sure, and there was some chat about the

possible location of the fire, but mostly there was silence between

us and the willingness to feel every little thing. When it was over,

we all walked hand-in-hand back to the house and it felt as if the

absence of the previous engine noise had left a big space that had

immediately filled itself with peace.