Pico Iyer

Where are you now? I'm in Santa Barbara where happily today it's quite calm. The winds are low and we're feeling very lucky compared with our neighbors two hours to the south. Are you in the house that your mother had rebuilt after it burned to the ground? I have been staying there. The house lacked all electricity.

Where are you now? I'm in Santa Barbara where happily today it's quite calm. The winds are low and we're feeling very lucky compared with our neighbors two hours to the south. Are you in the house that your mother had rebuilt after it burned to the ground? I have been staying there. The house lacked all electricity.

Where are you now? I'm in Santa Barbara where happily today it's quite calm. The winds are low and we're feeling very lucky compared with our neighbors two hours to the south. Are you in the house that your mother had rebuilt after it burned to the ground? I have been staying there. The house lacked all electricity.

There was no phone that was working, but that's where I've been staying the last four nights. They turn off the power as a precaution because the winds have been very high. So although there's no fire around us, I've been living by the light of a tiny lantern these last four days.

There was no phone that was working, but that's where I've been staying the last four nights. They turn off the power as a precaution because the winds have been very high. So although there's no fire around us, I've been living by the light of a tiny lantern these last four days.

There was no phone that was working, but that's where I've been staying the last four nights. They turn off the power as a precaution because the winds have been very high. So although there's no fire around us, I've been living by the light of a tiny lantern these last four days.

In the case of my mother, it's a matter of insurance policy. So when our house burnt to the ground, we received a settlement which is enough to rebuild the house that you previously had, but probably not enough to buy a new property elsewhere.

In the case of my mother, it's a matter of insurance policy. So when our house burnt to the ground, we received a settlement which is enough to rebuild the house that you previously had, but probably not enough to buy a new property elsewhere.

In the case of my mother, it's a matter of insurance policy. So when our house burnt to the ground, we received a settlement which is enough to rebuild the house that you previously had, but probably not enough to buy a new property elsewhere.

So almost logistically, you have to go back to the place that you just left unless you want to radically leave your home, your friends, your doctor and dentist and everything behind. In the case of the monks, they are making a commitment to living far from the world, at the grace of God, at the mercy of the heavens, not knowing what will come next.

So almost logistically, you have to go back to the place that you just left unless you want to radically leave your home, your friends, your doctor and dentist and everything behind. In the case of the monks, they are making a commitment to living far from the world, at the grace of God, at the mercy of the heavens, not knowing what will come next.

So almost logistically, you have to go back to the place that you just left unless you want to radically leave your home, your friends, your doctor and dentist and everything behind. In the case of the monks, they are making a commitment to living far from the world, at the grace of God, at the mercy of the heavens, not knowing what will come next.

So there it's more a conscious decision to live on the edge of the world and in the middle of the wilderness. I remember there's a great Zen monk who says a monk's duty is to live on the edge of the abyss. And that's what my Benedictine friends are doing in Big Sur.

So there it's more a conscious decision to live on the edge of the world and in the middle of the wilderness. I remember there's a great Zen monk who says a monk's duty is to live on the edge of the abyss. And that's what my Benedictine friends are doing in Big Sur.

So there it's more a conscious decision to live on the edge of the world and in the middle of the wilderness. I remember there's a great Zen monk who says a monk's duty is to live on the edge of the abyss. And that's what my Benedictine friends are doing in Big Sur.

I think it's one of those things that if you think about it, or remember or anticipate is terrifying. But when you're in the middle of it, you're just acting. So I climbed up the stairs. I saw that we were encircled by flames. I literally didn't have time to pick up the passport that was two feet away. I just grabbed my mother's cat.

I think it's one of those things that if you think about it, or remember or anticipate is terrifying. But when you're in the middle of it, you're just acting. So I climbed up the stairs. I saw that we were encircled by flames. I literally didn't have time to pick up the passport that was two feet away. I just grabbed my mother's cat.

I think it's one of those things that if you think about it, or remember or anticipate is terrifying. But when you're in the middle of it, you're just acting. So I climbed up the stairs. I saw that we were encircled by flames. I literally didn't have time to pick up the passport that was two feet away. I just grabbed my mother's cat.

raced into a car and drove down the driveway, not thinking that a car was probably the worst place to be. And I think actually having my mother's aging, panting cat in my lap for three hours as we were encircled by flames was a great help because it allowed me to concentrate on keeping the cat alive and not just to think how vulnerable I was feeling.

raced into a car and drove down the driveway, not thinking that a car was probably the worst place to be. And I think actually having my mother's aging, panting cat in my lap for three hours as we were encircled by flames was a great help because it allowed me to concentrate on keeping the cat alive and not just to think how vulnerable I was feeling.