THE OTHER SIDE
Rex Burress
Writers will be gleaning stories from the Paradise fire for years, but of course, that's no justification for having the fire. Like wars, those gruesome, historical affairs make books and movies that go on forever, but we could definitely do without wars and wildfires that destroy Earth.
The spectacular is news, or at least considered news, and journalists seek out terrifying tales that attract attention—and sell...although profit's a sad reason to popularize some types of news. But that is the name of the game in much of our modern times. I don't know if the “Camp Fire” will ever surpass the San Francisco earthquake and fire, but the “Camp Fire” will be remembered.
One interesting thing I took from an other side of the Paradise story was the condition of valuables inside home safes considered “fire safe.” The heavy, metal safes were mostly intact, but some required blow-torches to open. Ironic that something meant to repel the destruction of fire required the intense flame of a welding torch to see the inside! Alas! The wildfire heat had incinerated paper and melted some jewels!
A security safe is like a box in that the other side inside is hidden from view, causing intense curiosity. Think Christmas gifts. The mere fact that the other side is out of sight generates mystery and an urge to see what's there. Oh, the anticipation of it! Even now I can remember Mother shaking her Christmas box and trying to guess what's inside!
Never underestimate the power of a box! A letter is somewhat like that: the sealed message inside is a privacy realm designated for a certain individual. The interpretation of the words can change the world, or direct a fellow in Missouri to a life in California! Sealed words on paper can cause a trip from CA to Florida and a visit of two weeks in the home of cousins and the Everglades!
It takes a nature hike to really emphasize the curiousness of what's on the other side, or inside the large assortment of natural artifacts. It can be a revealing story in finding something like a butterfly chrysalis or a moth cocoon, telling about what's going on inside and what creature will emerge. Practically everything can have that mystery lurking on the edge of understanding. Eggs are also hiding a mysterious process hidden by the shell. A mammal giving birth reveals the previously unseen baby, which seems paramount at Christmas time that involves a sacred baby mystery and the multitude of boxed gifts!
The chief allurement of a rock for a collector is what's on the inside. The rockhound gets some hint about the interior by chipping the outside, but the full revealing doesn't come until the rock is cut open. Uncovering the hidden dimension is one of the most exciting discoveries of geological exploration and artistic lapidary!
Equally fascinating in nature discovery is searching the under side of a log to see what is hiding there. Kids love it. [Turn the log back over]. If it's moist, the layer of earth beneath the log could be sheltering beetles, worms, salamanders, snakes, and any number of critters. Looking at the other side of even a leaf can reveal something—even the color is often different.
Then there's the trail itself. There's no two trail walks alike as the living things are in a constant flux of change, and discovery of new niches may be found, even on a return. Through distractions, it is easy to overlook apparent objects. Then there is the skill of knowing what to look for. Thomas Huxley said it best: “To a person uninstructed in natural history, his country or seaside stroll is a walk through a gallery filled with wonderful works of art, nine-tenths of which have their faces turned to the wall.” The hiking group benefits from a lifetime of nature study by the leader.
“Thee most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”
--Albert Einstein
“The benefit of seeing can come only if you pause a while and look thoughtfully at a quiet image...the receiver must be willing to pause again and again...to meditate.” --Dorothea Lange