Things Could Always Be Worse

By Mark W. Danielson

Recently, one of my dear friends underwent his umpteenth back surgery.  His latest came less than three months after they sliced him in half, front and back, neck to hips because his pins and screws were already coming out.  A week or so ago they pronounced his latest surgery a success.  Time will tell.  I always think of him daily when I get that stabbing pain in my lower back.  Whenever it gets especially bad, I think of how much my friend has endured and suddenly my discomfort isn’t so bad.

Another friend lost his home in the Colorado Springs Black Forest fire.  They have yet to see the carnage and have no knowledge of whether their beloved dog survived.  As an animal lover, I cannot imagine what they are going through right now.  When I think of the computer problems, broken glasses, phone problems and my car dying I experienced recently, my problems seem petty.  My heart truly goes out to all those who have lost homes in this fire, and recent tornadoes.

Pain is part of writing, too.  Every writer experiences trials and tribulations, and no matter how bad things are, they could always get worse.  Need another example?  In 1991, flames engulfed the Oakland hills, killed over twenty people including two first-responders, and destroyed over three thousand residences.  Among the homeless was an author who had spent two years writing her manuscript.  On the day of the fire, she woke up and ran for her life.  Having no time to gather personal belongings, her manuscript burned with her house, and not having backed it up meant it was gone forever.  She never re-wrote that particular manuscript, but she turned a negative into a positive by transferring her fear onto her characters.  Only first-hand experience can capture such emotion.   

Have you ever received a rejection letter?  It’s impossible to forget, isn’t it?  But the pain of rejection isn’t so bad if it helps you grow as an author.  Sure, sometimes the person who wrote that letter was having a bad day and may have misjudged your work, but most of the time your letter arrived because your work needed improvement.  Learning from rejection not only reduces the sting, it makes you a better writer.

Whether in life or in fiction, misery is whatever we create.  Whenever you experience physical or emotional pain, realize there will always be people far worse off than you. 

Firestorm!

By Mark W. Danielson

I may have recently left Colorado to build our retirement home in Texas, but I still fear for and empathize with our Colorado friends.  What is taking place there is the inevitable firestorm we all feared.  For years, the forests have been dying from the Japanese beetle infestation, and this year has been dry with record high temperatures.  Fueled by strong winds, the Rocky Mountain’s forests have become kindling, and the thousands of firefighters on scene are no match for nature’s fury.

Many years ago, I wrote a story called First on Scene.  It began with the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area and then went to the 1991 Oakland hills firestorm.  I have never tried to publish this book because publishers generally don’t care for books that use nature as the antagonist, but it was a real education nonetheless.  The Oakland hills fire, which stopped a mile from my parents’ house, killed 25, injured 150, destroyed 3,354 single family homes, 437 apartment and condominium units, and burned 1520 acres.  The economic loss was estimated at $1.5 billion.  Now, Colorado Springs is experiencing the same kind of conflagration in the fire’s seemingly unstoppable rampage.  Tens of thousands have had to evacuate their homes, businesses have been shut down, and yet this is only one of the Rocky Mountain fires that are burning out of control.

Even though there is nothing I can do and I had nothing to do with any of these fires, I watch the images feeling like a Titanic survivor.  The entire Front Range is choking in smoke and there is no relief in sight.  This summer promises to be a long one for anyone living in Colorado.  At best, they will get some rainfall.  Worst case, lightning will spark more fires.

Rightfully, these infernos have caused national interest.  People now realize that we are at war with nature – but we are also still at war in the Middle East.  Let’s keep our thoughts and prayers with all of those fighting for us, both here and overseas.  They truly need our support.