Well, get ready island people, batten down the hatches, as the storm winds are about to hit us tomorrow. That is what the weather people are saying way up there in their weather towers, the powers that be, to let us know that Hurricane Teddy will be leaving a bit of a windy wake. How big??? Not sure. One thing about living on the island, they are very good at helping us get ready. We have Storm Watch FaceBook page and Weather Watch and then the 7 – Day forecast watch with its hourly, weekend, 7 day forecast.
This time last year we had a similar call out and man, it was hard on the land. No one, thank the Lord, got hurt but the aftermath damage…shut the island down literally. So hopefully, it is not like it was like last year. But in hindsight, it was not as bad as all of those southern shores along the Atlantic coast and the numerous islands where the Hurricane Dorian category 5 begin. No, the devastation was not the same. However, it is all about perspective and relativism from own personal window of life. Never down play something that impacts anyone. It is what it is to each person experiencing whatever.
The calm before the storm. What is going to take place? Not sure. I mean the sun i out and sunshiny…a beautiful day. But yesterday in the stores, carts were being filled up with water, multiple tins of instant foods, desserts, loaves of bread, and of course junk food and pop. Interesting what people put in their cart. I also noticed there was a bit of a line up for filling up geri cans with gas. I stopped to get some smaller gas cans filled up because they are easier to pick up when filling up my generator. Who knows how big or small the storm will hit but like the motto of Boy Scouts… be prepared or as coast guard’s motto states, Semper Par.
One thing I know may be on many pantry or kitchen shelves is Covered Bridges’ Storm Chips from New Brunswick. It is a blend of many flavours, big bag too. Munchie munchie. It is not like you can stop whatever is coming, just be prepared be ready. Semper Par. And that is the way the island rolls. Right now it does not seem like anything is going to happen.
But is that not like life?? I mean you are going along and things just seem okay. One day things are going just tickety-boo and the next, all “something” breaks out. Or it comes softly in, slowly changing life as you know it. That is the beauty and beast to a lived life on this earth. Which makes it that much more bitter sweet to being comfortable with the unknown.
How does one go about doing that? Letting go and just riding out whatever wave comes in, trusting in a higher power, God for me, and whomever for others. I mean one looks to find answers to questions that do not make sense, that have no tangible acceptable palatable answers really. I think about Covid-19, the onset of my mom’s dementia (or whatever disease out there), the three 17 yr old teenagers this weekend (one survived, one found two days later, and one still not found), Hurricane Teddy’s wake, world poverty and hunger, homelessness, wars, prejudice, out of control fires….endless endless endless… it seems to be.
I think we just want basic things like feeling safe, loved, belonging, hope. Just knowing that whatever is taking place, keep me safe as safe can be till the storm passes by. The storm may be short or long as I have no idea what is going to happen today or tomorrow but I can welcome the day, this picnic should I say, before me.
Let us pray for those who are in need. You know who they are. Blessings.
Karenpondering 