After the Storm

It is incredible how a weather event lasting just a few hours can upend your life for weeks. 

For days before Hurricane Milton, I was running on adrenaline, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. 

A couple of days afterward, I ran out of steam. 

Now, I need help to get enough sleep. 

Before the storm, as I walked around my house, sizing up which life mementos I would miss the most if my house were destroyed, I was surprised by how very few items made the cut and ended up in my extra secure bin. They were wrapped in bubble wrap and stored inside one container that was inside a larger container that was somewhat waterproof.

There were pictures, but thankfully, most are already contained in the safety of cyberspace. My grandmother's jadeite cranberry dish, her ivory “little man” carving from Alaska, some jewelry, a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse button, my porcelain set of four little men from the 1960s, essential documents, and a couple of dry changes of clothes. Not a lot compared to the “stuff” filling closets and drawers in my home. 

It makes me question my purchases more. I hope that feeling lasts. 

Today, the neighborhood streets are lined with yard waste, broken tree branches, bits of roof tile, and bags of rotted food from the electricity being off for hours. We were one of the fortunate ones, without power for only 40 hours. Our son and his family were out for five days, and I know folks in town who are still without power after a week. 

I'm determined to get a generator for next time so we can salvage the food we were instructed to stock up on for the storm, which we then ended up wasting because of a lack of refrigerant. 

And there will be a next time. 

We live less than an hour south of Tampa, and hurricanes are coming more frequently and later in the season on our Gulf Coast. We are one of the lucky ones, though, because, before Milton, the last hurricane to directly hit the Tampa Bay area was over 100 years ago. Milton came ashore about 25 miles south of our home, devastating Siesta Key. 

We are blessed that we didn't sustain more damage. 

The “aftermath”  is something all of us in the “cone” are dealing with, no matter the severity of the damage. Surviving a hurricane is not something you quickly bounce back from. You have to allow yourself time to rest and regroup.

 Your attention span and patience may be in short supply. 

I must also mention that right before our electricity was restored, my stepmother, with whom I was very close, passed away early that morning. Her death was expected, as she had been ill for some time; however, no matter how prepared you are, the loss is never easy to accept.

I want to believe she had something to do with restoring our lights. Still, her passing was another punch to the heart and a sideswipe off of that road called  “normalcy.”  

Today, I went out to lunch with my husband and to the gym—two activities that made me feel a little more like myself again. 

I could go into detail about what happened this past week, but honestly, I don’t want to relive it.

I am grateful my family was together throughout the storm and in the darkness; otherwise, I would have been more worried and anxious. We are all safe, and our homes have sustained minor damage.

 I am thankful for family and friends who are safe as well. 

 I pray for those who have lost much more and are just starting to rebuild their lives. #FloridaStrong

For now and during the next week, I plan to continue to be introspective,  get rest, and slowly build back up to my routine before the hurricane.

I also plan to do a lot of decluttering. After this experience, it is clear that many of my possessions are no longer needed, and my attachment to things has changed. 

 I look forward to more everyday activities.  

 I look forward to getting back to writing my novel. 

Halloween will be here in two weeks, and after that, Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

It's time for gratitude and family.

Thank you for reading.

Keep smiling! 

xx

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