I spent most of my life in California. Born and raised until this year, at 23, I decided to move across the country. Now, my home state is being ravaged by terrible forest fires. It's destroying homes and livelihoods. So many people are being evacuated, lives have been lost. It's terrible.
Members of my own family have been evacuated from their homes. Some don't know what's happened to their homes, every new update diminishing their hope. Others coming so close to losing everything — seeing the flames come within feet.
Towns that aren't close to the fires are becoming hazardous with air quality, and some with poor health are even being forced to evacuate to safer locations. People are losing not just physical possessions, but their safety and security, jobs are being lost as businesses burn down.
For some, these fires are taking absolutely everything. While many will have the chance to begin anew, with very little resource to begin anew, many will not have that chance. These fires are taking what was a great thriving state and bringing so much destruction and despair
There are so many missing people, so much tragedy going on. There's nothing I can do to help. I feel desperate and helpless. These are my people, that is my home.
I am a California girl and California is hurting. I'm in New York and I am not in the military, I am not a firefighter, I am not a nurse.
I'm not of any service to California from where I am.
I know there are so many people who are in this position of wanting to help. I know it seems so defeating, so helpless to be stuck in a situation where you can't do anything. Remember that you are never helpless. There is so much that can be done from afar.
It kills me to see this happening. It is devastating to know that people I love are hurting. But I can provide a listening ear, I can provide an encouraging message. I can provide love.
In a country being torn apart, whether it's hurricanes, shootings or fires, we can all provide a smile, a hug, positivity. Because that is what America is.
America isn't hiding behind others to protect ourselves or telling those in pain they don't matter. America is lending a hand. Sharing the shirt off of our backs.
America is love.
