A Sad Throwback...

by Skip  Cohen

​This is a strange post to write on Throwback Thursday. Normally, my Throwback posts are upbeat and rarely tied to current events. But watching the news this week and the fires in southern California, while they brought back some great memories, they're based on a foundation of destruction.
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I lived in Pacific Palisades for seven years when I was with Rangefinder/WPPI. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever lived and holds many wonderful memories. But it's a very strange feeling watching the news and seeing your old street on fire, as well as the entire town center where I spent so much time.

Living in the Sarasota area and dealing with the destruction from three hurricanes last year, combined with the horrific devastation in Asheville, I really thought I'd seen just about everything...until the news this week. In fact, for years, while I've empathized with people dealing with Mother Nature's horrible destruction around the world, it's never hit me as hard as the fires in California right now.

The picture up top was from the back deck of my condo in Pacific Palisades. "June Gloom" with the marine layer would roll in and sit in the valley, but we were always above it. We overlooked the dog park, where Molly the Wonder Dog grew up, shown below.

There was a fire road for those of us near the top of the mountain, but it was on fire, so the only way out was down Palisades Dr. I'm sure most of my old neighbors drove right into the traffic jam, where we saw bulldozers clearing cars on the news! 

​While there's no confirmation yet that my old neighborhood has been destroyed, I texted my next-door neighbor from back then. She sent me the pic to the right, taken as they fought through traffic trying to leave the Palisades and get to safety on Tuesday.

The likelihood that anything survived in the area is slim, and my heart goes out to old friends and neighbors who have lost so much. We're sending prayers and positive thoughts to everyone caught in the tragedy. I can't imagine the pain of loss they're all feeling, but when it hits this close to home, especially the street where you live, it's impossible not to be affected.

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Empathy has no script.
There is no right way or wrong way to do it.
It's simply listening, holding space, withholding judgement, emotionally connecting,
and communicating that incredibly healing message of
"You're not alone."
Brené Brown

Our unit was the one story building in the middle, overlooking the park.

We looked out over the mountains, which have all burned!