Originally Posted by
mollusk
This is so sad. The material things that burn up are bad enough, but so many memories up in smoke is heartrending.
My fire was actually good in a long term way. I lost everything and ended up sleeping on a couch on my brother's front porch. Over time (and through quite a few natural disasters) I came to realize it's just stuff and can be replaced. And if it can't it's still just stuff. People and our companion animals can't be replaced.
This really hit home while I was working in the Oakland fire...a couple found their cat which had survived by finding a hollow spot under their driveway. I've little doubt from their reaction that they felt the house was far less important; it was complete gone and they never looked twice at what was left, their attention was completely focused on getting the cat water and to a vet.