The wind shows us how close to the edge we are. ~Joan Didion
As Hurricane Irene made her way up along the eastern coast, I, like many others, prepared for the worst. I evacuated my home, made an emergency bag for myself and my partner, filled the car with food and water, and stayed with family in New Jersey. As I tossed and turned on an air mattress on Saturday night, I listened to the wind and rain pound against the windows. I prayed that all the glass would stay intact and we would get through the storm with minimal damage. When I awoke the next morning, I watched reports of massive floods, downed trees, damaged homes, and people stranded. While the news report expressed much relief that New York City was spared, many places were not. There were entire towns that were without power and completely under water, including many parts of upstate New York (in particular, the Catskills region), many towns in New Jersey, Vermont, and many more. As wind and rain swept through so many places, I felt ‘flooded’ with many emotions — relief, sadness, exhaustion, and gratitude.
When I looked up at the clear blue sky this morning, it looked as if nothing had ever happened. Then I looked down and saw all the broken trees and debris. I meditated on storms passing through. I wrote some thoughts from my meditation about lessons of storms passing through:
~nature will always have it’s say; it’s up to us what we are willing to hear
~in the end, life is about feeling vulnerable with ourselves and one another
~staying connected is something I value
~listening to wind without fear can bring me closer to God (spirit etc…)
~getting ‘submerged’ in fear is as easy as getting ‘submerged’ in water
~asking for help makes life easier
~trust that nature will care for itself through cracking, shaking, and washing
~time heals pain and remembering good memories brings comfort
~everything flows — in its own time
What lessons have you learned from the various storms in your life?
Peace,
Mary Anne