After a fun weekend away, I arrived home to my NYC building and it smelled funny. I walked up to my apartment and the smell was still there. Then I realized my hardwood floors were wet and there were water stains on the ceiling with paint hanging down. A closet-- my main storage space--- was soaked top to bottom. I quickly learned that there was a fire a couple floors above me, and most apartments in my 10 unit building sustained moderate to severe water damage.
I am cleaning up this evening, throwing quite a bit away and drying out other items. I don't own much, but even so it occurred to me that there wasn't a single thing in my apartment that I would be upset about losing. So my day doesn't look like I had planned, but it really and truly is okay, and I am grateful for the fire alarms that worked, the fire department that arrived promptly, supportive neighbors and no injuries.
It's a beautiful thing to be able to go through life and not worry about possessions, and just be happy that everyone is okay. I am- my body is- my own home. It's all I need.
