Because I live very close to Altadena in Los Angeles and because of the fires that raged through here two weeks ago, I decided to pivot and record an episode with two people I love about how they're doing after losing their home in the Eaton Fire. This is all very fresh for them (and for me) and I only had a day to edit so the episode is longer and more raw than usual. But it is already one of the most powerful episodes I've done because my guests were so great, so honest, and real, and it's such new territory for all of us. I'm just beginning to grasp the magnitude of the collective grief surrounding me.
Bella and Cataline Bilandzija grew up in Altadena and lived in a lovely home that was constantly changing. They were used to their parents, Jessica and Daryl, always renovating and doing the work themselves. Even the gardens were continually shifting and evolving to meet their desires. But no one was ready for it all to disappear in an enormous fire that took out entire blocks of houses and businesses, leaving the wonderful area called Altadena forever changed. Bella and Catalina were both away at their respective colleges having just returned to school after winter break when the fires happened. I was curious how they were processing the loss of their beloved childhood home from afar. Death is often hard to conceive of, and what I've learned is that losing a home is very much like a death loss. Homes become a part of us, like members of the family, and fires take all the belongings that help us feel comfortable in a new home. It is an enormous loss that will likely stay with Bella and Catalina for the rest of their lives.
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Special thanks to Josephine Wiggs for the song "Time Does Not Bring Relief" from her album "We Fall."
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