1. God's Pillow.
- Author
-
TIERSMA, JOHN
- Subjects
PILLOWS ,GOD ,FIRE fighters ,CALIFORNIA wildfires ,WILDFIRE prevention ,GRATITUDE - Abstract
This article recounts the author's experience as a water tanker truck driver during the Soberanes Fire in Northern California in 2016. Despite promising his wife that he would not sign up for backcountry duty, the author was drawn to the dangerous work of fighting wildfires. One day, while driving along a treacherous fire road, the author's truck tipped over the edge of a ravine. Miraculously, the author was caught by a manzanita bush and survived the accident. This near-death experience led the author to reflect on the risks he had taken throughout his life and the impact it had on his family. After recovering, the author found a new sense of purpose and satisfaction in a safer job as a delivery driver, and eventually as a school bus driver. The author retired and now plans to travel with his wife in an RV. The article emphasizes the importance of finding one's purpose and the value of helping others and being there for family. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024