Personal Reflections of Wildfire Close to My Home

The world is changing, and I try to adapt to these changes and move forward with my life. As human beings, we all relate to events differently, and the way we cope can impact our attitude and also affect those around us.

A recent wildfire near our town of Port Alberni highlighted this struggle for me. The danger was no doubt real and hard to ignore. One can lose everything that is precious, both materially and sentimentally. Once the news of the wildfire broke, some people began expressing their fears day and night about the fire’s immense, destructive nature. Many, despite the lack of an evacuation alert, left the town out of fear. I had a hard time keeping calm due to the panic of others. But I chose to stay calm.

You see, my life has been filled with events that were beyond my control and left me feeling totally helpless. I left my home country of Iran, and then, after the revolution, I could not go back home. I was stranded in a foreign land without a passport or a job, as I was on a student visa, and no money could be sent from home. For seven years, I was a refugee in India, supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This life-saving support was welcome but barely covered food expenses. I had no money, no means of transportation, not even a radio to listen to music, and I had to survive with sicknesses and other unexpected events of life. My situation was made even more challenging by the fact that I was thousands of miles away from my loved ones at home.

On the positive side, my situation also presented an amazing opportunity to grow as a person and learn to be grateful in the face of adversity. The lessons learned changed my outlook on life forever. I was so helpless that I had no other way out but to rely on Him, my Creator, and my source of energy was the Holy Writings of all religions and in particular mine, the Baha’i Faith. Writings such as this helped to bring peace to my troubled mind:

“Whatever hath befallen you, hath been for the sake of God. This is the truth, and in this there is no doubt. You should, therefore, leave all your affairs in His Hands, place your trust in Him, and rely upon Him. He will assuredly not forsake you. In this, likewise, there is no doubt.” ~Bahá’u’lláh

As in every situation and crisis, people react differently. Some panic and focus on the worst scenarios, and I cannot blame them for feeling and acting that way. Still, many people immediately started reaching out to others to offer help. I personally received a message stating that if we had to evacuate, we could stay in our friend’s house in Nanaimo, along with another sweet message of concern for us and an offer of a ride if we needed to get out of town. The fire brought out the best in people.

My reliance rested on well-trained firefighters, as well as on a Higher Power that has saved me countless times from the depths of despair and helplessness.

I am deeply grateful to my Faith and my harsh yet valuable life experiences that have taught me not to panic, but to continue relying on God and His gift of prayer, the most powerful tool that can dispel fears in the most stressful times. Prayers have been my gift to navigate the stormy waters of life.