Lately there have been more than usual number of reports on people getting lost in the snowy PNW wilderness. First it was a woman hiking alone and got lost in the Cascades. Fortunately, the rescue and search team was able to find her safe, albeit shivering. Then, a family got stuck in a snow storm on a supposed-to-be-closed road on their way to Gold Beach in Oregon right after Thanksgiving. The Dad died in search of help after leaving his two small kids and wife in the car. The wife and the kids were found safe after having disappeared for 7 days. It even pains me to retell the story. How tragic this is! I can't imagine the trauma of the surviving family members who endured the extremities - from a happy after-holiday road trip to a deadly snow-bound disaster. Getting stuck in a snowstorm or getting lost on a hike was never something that I would consider deadly. This story really shook me to a new realization.
My favorite TV serials "Lost" romanticises the whole idea of being lost - being stranded in an unknown place - where mysteries unfold and spiritual journeys begin. But, in reality, getting lost is often the last thing on our mind. The abundant supply of everything everywhere and easy access to everything anytime have really lowered the standards for our preparedness for emergency situations, and dulled our survival skills.
The closest experience that I've had with getting lost was when I was young in Xinjiang. I remember that a couple times I was lost in horrifying sand storms. The sky was darken in a few minutes. The wind was fierce hurling up sands and dirt as it twisted and turned like a headless monster. I was blown away a few feet away from my family. I couldn't see or hear anything around me. Trying to open eyes was impossible. The wind was so strong that I had to bend down and hold onto to something (I don't remember what I was holding onto). I was so scared that I couldn't utter a word. I was just waiting and waiting for the sand storm to pass. That frightening sense of calm was eerie as if I was waiting to be taken away like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. I often wonder whether we would all feel a sense of serenity when it's really time for us to go.
Do we just let it go? What were the last thoughts of James Kim, the father, when he realized that he wouldn't be able to save himself nor his family?
My favorite TV serials "Lost" romanticises the whole idea of being lost - being stranded in an unknown place - where mysteries unfold and spiritual journeys begin. But, in reality, getting lost is often the last thing on our mind. The abundant supply of everything everywhere and easy access to everything anytime have really lowered the standards for our preparedness for emergency situations, and dulled our survival skills.
The closest experience that I've had with getting lost was when I was young in Xinjiang. I remember that a couple times I was lost in horrifying sand storms. The sky was darken in a few minutes. The wind was fierce hurling up sands and dirt as it twisted and turned like a headless monster. I was blown away a few feet away from my family. I couldn't see or hear anything around me. Trying to open eyes was impossible. The wind was so strong that I had to bend down and hold onto to something (I don't remember what I was holding onto). I was so scared that I couldn't utter a word. I was just waiting and waiting for the sand storm to pass. That frightening sense of calm was eerie as if I was waiting to be taken away like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. I often wonder whether we would all feel a sense of serenity when it's really time for us to go.
Do we just let it go? What were the last thoughts of James Kim, the father, when he realized that he wouldn't be able to save himself nor his family?
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