This Fiery Lifecycle

Having lost everything to flames twice in this life now, it seems my existence is being defined, in large part, by fire. The first time at age of adulthood, the second after retirement, the sky has been smokey here two nights and two days in a row as another wildfire rages on.

Winds have pushed it north, then west, and now south and east as it slithers closer. At more than 80,000 acres this morning, it is spreading fast, stirring memories of life-rebuilding cycles.

Running across news yesterday about a classmate from Tehran American School, his life accomplishments inspired him to write about something called The Gouge, so I've obtained a copy and will read it as this looming threat of yet another fiery wild beast rapidly ramps up.