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Hi there,
It's hard to deny that we've entered a new era of natural disaster, at least in the Atlantic.
In my estimation, every year since 2000, the storms and hurricanes blowing through the Americas have steadily increased in size, strength and destructive power, ravaging all in their path as they wreak havoc on us and our regional neighbors.
2004 was the year when this harrowing trend first became obvious, although the following year had so many storms that the National Hurricane Center ran out of proper names and had to use 6 Greek letters as monikers for the spillover storms!
Tornadoes and wildfires are no different. Each year they increase in number, ferocity and, in the latter case, longevity.
Erika, Harvey, Irma, Maria, Kirk (to a lesser extent) and who can forget mighty Dorian... each of these recent storms has left an indelible mark on our consciousness, especially for those of us who experienced them first-hand.
The stars of the latter half of 2018's disaster season unleashed some awesome power, starting with devastating wildfires in California, Utah and Colorado.
In fact, at that time wildfires seemed set on stealing the limelight from the dawn of what appeared to be a fairly quiet hurricane season.
All of this came on the heels of a very active tornado season, with twisters popping up as early as Jan.
With all of this devastation and turmoil, I marveled at how survivors of disaster manage to retain the determination to rebuild time after time - sometimes every year.
You would think that they'd quit and leave those towns for one of the various sanctuaries located far away from Tornado Alley, wildfire country and the hurricane belt.
But these people stay, remaining upbeat and hopeful instead of descending into a funk of despair and depression.
They just dry their tears, shrug off their losses, pick back up and go again. They're amazing!
Then I had an epiphany.
Many of these families have lived in these disaster-plagued areas for decades, tracing their roots back several generations.
Perhaps they've opted to stay and rebuild because they feel like they have no choice.
After all, that is their home: the place where their family is rooted and defined, the place where their navel-strings are buried (so to speak); it's the source of their clan's very identity.
In short, it's where they belong.
Besides, what draws people to these towns in the first place is their unique charm and a host of wonderful features which the locals witness and enjoy daily.
These people know that Mother Nature can be destructive, cruel and even murderous. But they also know that she can be beautiful, rejuvenating, nurturing and supportive of life.
The same rivers and lakes that flood their neighborhoods and cause widespread mudslides also provide them with seafood to eat and water to use for cooking, laundry, drinking, bathing and electricity.
The heavy rains which stall their vehicles and cause the rivers and lakes to overflow also help to beautify their surroundings and to keep them well fed by maintaining water levels in those lakes and rivers, and by watering their food crops, trees, orchards, parks and gardens.
The terrible winds which spawn tornadoes, obliterate their homes, fell their power lines and endanger them with flying debris also cool their homes, create ocean waves for surfers, power their sailboats and fuel their windfarms for the production of clean, renewable energy.
So you see, these survivors wisely recognize that Mother Nature is a dichotomy of destruction and production - with as much power to annihilate as to sustain.
Their challenge (and ours) is, as they go about daily life, to limit and restructure their activities in ways that will calm her down and keep her wrath at bay.
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My heart goes out to all those who have suffered any kind of loss or tragedy as a result of a natural disaster.
All that I can say to them is to stay faithful, hopeful, resolute and tough as nails.
To everyone else, I say be thankful to God and generous to these survivors.
Until next time, stay safe but prepared, everyone
Donna
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