I have not written my regular Monday-Friday posts this week. I have to say that the fires outside, and the tragedy that surrounds so many people living in Southern California, has taken the umf out of my words.
I’ve sat down at the typewriter and tried to write, but nothing has really come.
Times in Southern California were bad before. With the average housing price out here in the mid $600,000s, people have a difficult time getting into a home.
Figure this: at that price, a mortgage would cost about $4000 per month.
Someone making ten dollars an hour working forty hours per week would be bringing in about $1600 per month.
Before taxes.
See the problem?
Before the fires, things were tough in this state, and particularly in the three areas hit so heavy by the fires as they are the most expensive areas in which to live.
After the fires, it is really tough-and scary-to think about what could happen. I’m sure insurance will help the families who lost their homes, at least to a point, but will these families, who could have bought their homes years ago for half of today’s asking price for a comparable home, really be able to recover financially?
Not only are these families worrying tonight about where they will find new clothes, but they are also worried tonight about where they may live.
Though some say that the housing boom has slowed down out here, and we have seen that trend now for a bit, it certainly still is not a cheap area in which to live.
Today on the news I saw that 1500 homes had been destroyed. Imagine that number-1500. If we ate one cookie a day, it would take over 4 years to eat that many cookies.
And these are homes with lives inside, and pictures and people and pets.
If three people live in each home, 4,500 people are now displaced.
I’ve watched the news. I’ve wiped the ashes from my car. I’ve cried several times for the people who have suffered such a loss. Yet it is still difficult for me to understand just what these families will be facing in the near future.
So tonight, even if you are discouraged with something in your life, take some time to think about the families in Southern California who are facing such hardships tonight, tomorrow night and for many nights to come.