AN OVERHEAD SHOT OF THE STORM
Nothing will put you in your place faster than mother nature. You can’t change her, re-schedule her or eliminate her. So, every time we think we’re running the show, all we have to do is turn on the news and see an unplanned natural disaster.
Today we’re dealing with Hurricane Sandy. Can you even fathom a storm being 1,000 miles wide ? I live on the east coast of the U.S. and South shore, called Cape Cod. I’m only 1/10th of a mile to the bay beach. The town is long, but thin in land mass, so there’s little distance between the ocean and bay. I’m grateful for the location and beauty. I’m also grateful it’s not the ocean side.
I’m prepared. I have enough firewood to last about 2 straight days and it’s ready to be lit. I have 8 gallons of drinking water. Another 5 gallons for toilet flushing and the bathtub is filled. There are 3 flashlights with new batteries in each and candles in every room. It could be quite romantic, but right now, I’m here alone. We lose power on a good day, so it’s not an if, it’s a when.
The heat has been turned up to 78 because a cold front is supposed to be coming in and I thought I’d get a jump start. I’m boiling right now and in a summer tank top. The main level of my house is elevated and sits on a hill. I have a large bay window that lends itself to full exposure of the over bearing pines, oaks and a few smaller trees.
The pines are about 60 feet tall. They’re quite old, so I imagine they’ve been through the likes of this and more. I watch as they move with force in every direction, as the less mature, dwarfed by the Pines presence, bend over, then quickly right themselves before they snap.
I observe their rhythm. There is a grace about them. The ocean may be angry, but the trees are not. They only exude strength and determination. An obstinacy that they are staying.
It’s the next day. The storm has passed. The weather turned warm, not cold, so I had to open a window. Thank god for fresh air. The lights stayed on, so it looks like I have enough firewood for the next month. I won’t have to buy drinking water for 6-8 weeks anyway.
I’m sure if I wasn’t this prepared, every one of the above would have been reversed. We got 81 mph winds, but that was the worst of it. I was shocked we didn’t lose power. We lose power here on a good day. My 2 flashlights and the over-sized one that exudes a lot of light, will be ready. One never knows what the future will bring. I’m prepared.
I thought I’d get so much work done yesterday in the quiet and dark, aided by flashlights and candles. The entire east coast was pretty much shut down and still. We were asked not to drive, go outside and schools and most work places were closed. They cut public transportation in NYC and Boston by mid-day.
Instead of taking advantage of this situation, as I originally planned to, I was glued to the television, staying informed about the next step. I was waiting for the inevitable, but the inevitable never happened. I know I should be grateful, but there’s a part of me that’s pissed off. All this preparation has gone to waste.
But one never knows. We’ve had horrific earthquakes, storms, flooding, Tsunami’s, tornadoes and devastating hurricanes. I think over the past few years nature has shown us she’s pissed off and with good reason.
Perhaps we should start paying more attention to the environment and earth. Maybe we need to show respect for the natural resources of our planet. We are now one world and to clear rain forests, drill in pristine land, dig down in oceans, was/is not part of the plan.
Especially because all of this is done in greed. Despite the rhetoric, this is not done for the good of the people or to enhance our lives. It mostly enhances the lives of the CEO’s in these huge corporations.
Scientists on the opposing side have a different explanation. The people in favor for all this destruction, find talking heads to say what they want. They want to convince us there’s no global warming.
One theory is every several thousand years, global warming happens. Some scientists say this may be true, but it’s the speed of how quickly it’s happening, that’s troubling. That’s the man induced part. It seems the majority of us believe this theory, but unfortunately it’s the lobbyists, some law-makers and those who stand to make huge profits that don’t.
Will we finally get our due if we don’t stop, or try to remedy all this destruction ? A big question, but my logic tells me when you keep interfering and rearranging the natural balance of life, it eventually backfires. Maybe these acts of nature have nothing to do with the destruction. But my bet is they do.
As I began. I will end. We can not predict mother nature. She will do what she wants. She clears a path and has her own way. Despite our best predictions, we have no control over what’s to come. We can only plan for the best outcome and be as equipped as possible for the worst. Let it be duly noted that she always has the final say.
aboomersvoice 