Where to begin? It’s been a surreal couple of weeks. Such devastation. And shock. And uncertainty. Each of these raging fires (Eaton, Palisades, Hughes, etc.) has made us all take stock and realize how fragile and tenuous our lives can be. The unthinkable has, indeed, happened. Now what? What happens next? Where do we go? What do we do?
What happens next is…we take care of each other. We look for places where we can help. We check in on friends and family, not once, but repeatedly. We make a point of being there—and by being there, I mean being there for whatever is required. Helping them however we can, whether that is to find shelter, find food and clothing, or help them rebuild their lives to the extent that we are able.
Rita & Melani
Now more than ever, people throughout the Greater Los Angeles region need us. That is the case with my dear friend Rita Ciolek, and her daughter, Melani, who lost their Tahitian Terrace home (and everything in and around it) in the Pacific Palisades fire.
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“It’s so hard to make sense of the fires and what has happened. It’s like a bad dream. You never think it can happen. I mean, wildfires are a part of life here, but this is just unbelievable and beyond what we thought could happen. I didn’t think it was possible. We lost everything, I mean, everything! But thank God we are alive and we are healthy and we have friends out there who care about us. Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much this means to me and Melani.”
~ Rita Ciolek, home destroyed in Pacific Palisades Fire
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Any Help is Appreciated
Obviously, after you watch Rita’s video, you can’t help but feel moved. And if you know Rita, like so many of you do, it’s doubly hard to watch. She has worked so hard and has given Melani a great life and for them to lose everything like they did is just devastating to comprehend.
“It is with great sadness that I am asking you to support me on this journey. I can give you nothing in return other than trying to live my life with integrity and kindness.”
~Rita