First, I’d like to thank everyone who has reached out to me and my family since the unfortunate house fire at the Fergusson ancestral home where my son has been living on the south shore of Clary Lake. The fire occurred last Wednesday evening, most likely starting as a chimney fire. There has been an unending stream of people arriving at my front door ever since with gifts of money, food, clothes, and offers of all sorts of assistance from places to stay to labor for cleanup and rebuilding. My son Colin and his girlfriend Sara spent 4 days staying (free of charge) at Rick and Linda Gallion’s Clary Lake Bed & Breakfast which I can assure you was a whole lot nicer than the pullout couch in my wife’s reading room. Today they moved out of the B&B and into a house in Chelsea that a friend of theirs has had on the market for a while. They’re welcome to stay there until the place sells. They’ve taken 2 of their 3 cats with them, having decided to leave Mehitabelle with Margaret and me. We’re thrilled.

The plan right now is for the family to rebuild, but there’s a lot to be done between now and then and it’s really too soon to be talking about that. Clean up has only begun, and the task is daunting. I am grateful for having been able to use this Association forum to share our experience, strength, and hope, but Clary Lake needs saving, and it is time to move on and put this unfortunate event in the rear view mirror. To that end, I am going to close with an email my wife composed and sent to her long list of friends. She just has a way with words that I lack.

Date: Fri, Apr 7, 2017 at 10:38 AM
Subject: Love and Loss…Mindfulness

Hello dear “extended” family: I just wanted to let you all know of a recent event and would ask for all of us to be mindful of how important in this life are love, kindness, gratitude and compassion. Collective consciousness to these virtues is ever more needed, not just in my/our ‘little’ life/lives…but around the world. Reaching out to you is a way for me to go beyond my community here in Maine…and even beyond the US…it feels good to be in touch and I’m reminded of how I tend not to broadcast to all of you very often…and perhaps it would be the ‘kinder’ thing to do more frequently…to let you know that I am thinking of you. Today…the message is one of sadness yet also gratitude…for such kindness…

Although a great sadness has been visited upon our family…the Fergusson ancestral home (not George’s and mine, but one that his son, Colin and his girlfriend, Sara lived in) has sustained massive damage due to fire. Their/our beloved dog, Emma perished in fire yet three beloved cats are safe and sound and all humans are together in love. It is that love about which I speak of today…..

People have been in and out for the past few days with such generosity…food, clothing, gift cards, cash, checks…overwhelming. The kids have been staying with us and have about a dozen offers of all sorts of temporary accommodations, including a lovely b&b owned by our friends down the road. I think they’ve needed to be with family for the first few nights. After tonight they will want some privacy and go for a bit more roomy and comfortable environment, as our home, while love-filled, is small and ‘campy’! Also they’ve wanted to let the poor cats settle in after such an ordeal. It’s been quite unbelievable. This is a wonderful community…neighbors helping neighbors. We are all doing, especially Colin and Sara, remarkably well. How we loved little Emma…she truly was a ‘grand doggie/child’. She’d run “over the river and through the woods ‘to grandmother’s house’ we go” to get a treat. My heart is broken over her loss. George’s daughter, Liz, is ‘taking charge’ of a lot…all sorts of particulars and getting activities in gear for clean up, salvaging, replacements, etc. She’s been remarkable… the best of her! We are all operating in love…in kindness…xoxoxo

Margaret Fergusson

Finally, one of my wife’s acrostics, for which she is famous:

Kindness

• Kaleidoscope for hope…
• Intentional giving of self…
• Needed to and Need to tend the spirit…
• Doing the next right thing…
• Never underestimate its power…
• Eases…and it’s Easy!…
• Such a gift to another…and one’s self…
• Satisfaction guaranteed!