Good Luck

[The Valkyrie]

I don't really say that to people, so I don't know the answer, but I do want to say thank you for starting a new thread and not hijacking mine

Actually, I think it's okay for people to say stuff like that and I also hope you and everyone there comes out of this well. I got set off because people will say "don't say you'll pray for me" as if it's an insult to do so, but people always say things like "you're in my thoughts", which they believe is as worthless as prayer, but that's acceptable.

Well, not to diminish what's happening in California, but I'll give my own experience.

In 2009, when I was still a student, we had wildfires in Victoria (which is part of the reason I can truly empathise with what's happening). Millions prayed, and 173 people still died, and over a million acres of land were burned.

Over those nearly two weeks I honestly witnessed the very best and worst of humanity (some of the fires were set deliberately by people during the height of the nightmare), and I saw a lot of people do a lot of volunteer work. I worked part time at a hospital at the time, to get experience, and ended up doing a LOT of unpaid hours helping people - and it's part of the reason I truly dread working with burn victims.

So, yes, while the sentiment is as effective, to my mind, as prayer, people do like the fact they are being thought of, prayed over.