The Lessons Learned from a Storm
I have gone through many of the storms of life. Life promises that storms will arrive, and how you negotiate them is your decision.
Storms come in many forms. A job loss, the sudden death of someone close, the end of an intimate relationship, a pandemic, or an actual hurricane. Each of these shares some commonality. We don’t want to come into life, yet they arrive when least expected.
Holding the knowledge that they will arrive, I know the importance of building that strong foundation for my life. That foundation empowers me to stand when the storm is at its worst.
If you have been watching news reports, a major storm struck the southwest Florida coastline. My wife and I moved from Ohio to this area this past March. We made this move with full knowledge that hurricane season is a thing and preparing for the season is required.
Preparation is one aspect, but experiencing it takes it to another level. Being in the storm creates clarity as to how adequate your preparation was.
Lessons learned from being in a storm.
Preparation
As Ian was aiming at the coastline, I knew I was prepared. As this was the first hurricane I would go through, I had to rely upon the knowledge provided by others who had experienced a storm. I put a plan into action days before the expected landing. I ensured that my wife and I could get through the events if the worst-case scenario were to happen.
I continued to prepare even up to the same day that the storm made land. The preparation gave me an elevated level of empowerment, knowing I had done everything within my power. I even reduced some anxiety by assisting neighbors with their practice, as I have learned over the years that men help those in need.
Arrival
The storm came ashore less than 40 miles from our home. I stepped outside and observed the power of what was about to happen. The power of Ian was incredible. At the height of the storm, we had winds over 130 mph. We felt most vulnerable when we lost all connection with the outside world as our electricity, cell phone coverage, and access to the internet stopped.
With the storm shutters covering all windows, we could not see outside except for a small portion of the main entry door. All that we were able to see was a small portion of the front of the home. Until the winds became too excessive, we could step outside our front door and witness the power. I was amazed by the force that Ian brought.
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Maintaining Perspective
I was the most calm once the storm arrived. I was prepared and spent time waiting for the storm to pass, reading, and taking a nap. While the storm was raging, this was the calmest that I had been in days. At that moment, I knew the storm was out of my control, so why worry?
Aftermath
I walked out my front door the morning after the storm to survey the damage. The one thing that struck me immediately was the calmness. Damage was all around me, yet the sky was blue, and birds chirped. It was my reminder that regardless of how intense a storm of life may be, there is always the dawn of a new day soon to arrive.
We were without electricity for over 130 hours, and our water was just a trickle. The blessing was that the weather had cooled considerably. The hot, humid weather was gone. In its place were cool evening air and a nice breeze during the day. Those basic things of life can be taken for granted. As I write this, 12 days post-Ian, areas hit harder than our location still lack those necessities of life.
What lessons do you learn when a storm comes into your life? Are you able to reflect upon your personal experience?
It is a guarantee that a storm will come into your life. Those actions you take today will bring you a level of empowerment when your storm arrives.
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