Wednesday morning I headed up to Columbia to visit dear Dad, as it was his 64th 50th birthday… Just kidding – I know he wishes it was, though! We had been planning to hunt on his birthday for a few days, and I wasn’t going to let the weather forecast (rain) stop us from enjoying the day in the field. All in all, I would say it was a fairly uneventful hunt. We came out of the field with 6 birds between us, and damp clothing from the cool rain. I was even chilly at one point – a welcomed rarity in the usual heat of a South Carolina September! We got to spent some quality time together, nonetheless, and I wouldn’t trade an uneventful day in the dove field for a day sitting in the office, that’s for sure! Speaking of making sure to spend time with those you love…
Wednesday was also the morning of the Georgetown fire that tore through Historic Front Street. It is disasters like this that make you want to stop and think about everything that is the most important to you. The 9 families (13 total people) whose homes were destroyed by the fire lost more than I can fathom. Remember the Rascal? The captain’s parents lived on Front Street and lost literally everything. What was their home overlooking the water is now barely a building facade. John’s mom lost her store, Goudelock & Co., along with everything in it. John immediately rushed to Georgetown to see what he could do to help… Thankfully, no one was hurt. Such devastation to a place that has become so near and dear to me, and affected people so close to me and the ones I love, is just heartbreaking. I have to admit – I felt a little guilty enjoying a day of hunting and celebrating when there were so many people watching their homes and livelihoods smolder in ashes. But it did make me feel better knowing that I was spending time with my parents, who I could not imagine life without. {Don’t either of you go anywhere, ya hear?!}.
Without getting too cheesy or cliche, take a minute to appreciate what you’ve got. While “things” aren’t the most important part of life, it is important to be thankful that you at least have a roof over your head and clothes on your back. I know I am guilty of forgetting that from time to time, and unfortunately it is tragic events like this that force us to bring everything into perspective. For more information on the fire, click here.
DON’T FORGET!
To donate to the Front Street Fire Relief Fund, call 843-546-8591 or visit any First Citizens branch in South Carolina. For more information on how you can help, click here, here, and here.
