Hello anyone reading this - my name is Matt and I am here to help inspire others. A short introduction of myself:
I am a 31 year old from Northern California. I am currently employed in the Human Resources field for a local casino, and am primarily tasked with training. I am a baseball (Giants) fan, and appreciate most other sports to some degree. I discovered a hidden talent within the last year (writing), and I feel that Steemit can provide the opportunity for my words to help others in difficult times.
I live and grew up in a small town, and that small town and local community was forever changed by the events we all experienced last summer. The Valley Fire.
This fire devastated a rural community. Displaced thousands as the fire was being battled, destroyed 1200+ homes (including my family's home), and sadly costing four people to pay the ultimate price.
This catastrophic event that so many within this small tight-knit community experienced brought out great amounts of sadness, loss, and fear. I experienced all of those emotions, but it allowed me to realize a beautiful gift I have.
As a way to cope, I started writing. My original purpose in writing wasn't to inspire others - it was merely to inspire myself, and my family who were dealing with a loss that we still couldn't even fathom. However, I received an overwhelming response from so many family members (my mom says I'm cool!), to co-workers, to friends, and to so many complete strangers.
I hope I can help others who read my posts. I hope I can help you unlock your hidden inner fire. We all have it - we just have to learn how to use it.