Gratitude.

I went to visit my very dear friend this past weekend. She's finally moved back to Brooklyn after a few years in grad school. We had a very fantastic time, and I will say, only a few times have I felt as grateful for everyone I know and everything I have as I was Saturday morning. We woke up to this next door:



We were out of the apartment and across the street a few minutes after waking up. The building next door was vacant upstairs, but had a bodega and a laundromat downstairs. No one was seriously injured - moment of gratitude to whatever or whomever you believe in! - but twelve families are now homeless. My friend's apartment building was separated by a small alleyway from the vacant building, which saved it.

This was my first exposure to Fire. Truly, it has awesome power. Awesome, in the traditional sense of the word. No clues yet on how it started, but the FDNY did a really admirable job getting it under control. Thanks, guys.

I hemmed and hawed on what to write about this, or even if I should post at all on it; ultimately I decided it might help make it more real. The hours we spent watching that building burn and collapse, and then undergo demolition, they seem blurry around the edges, almost as if it's a memory of a movie I saw. To be so close to such a force and to have escaped unharmed, well, let's just say I hugged M. and all the animals extra tight last night when I came home.