I just realized that I had not posted my contribution! We had terrible weather over the last several days; straight line winds at 80 miles an hour and F2 and F3 tornadoes touching down all around. We were quite blessed though. Only a friendly old tree we shared with our next door neighbor split – toppling over onto the neighbor’s garage – and we were without power for about 24 hours. It is interesting how aware one becomes of what is and what is not important at such times.
When power was restored and I saw the devastation that many of our neighbors in surrounding communities suffered I thought about human vulnerability. A lifetime of effort, accumulation, and investment all too often dissipates in an instant. We watch, if we are blessed, from a distance and ache with our neighbors, but there is a part of us that still clings to the belief that we will never have to deal with such tragedy, that still hopes we will always be spared.
I could not help though, this time, as I witnessed the aftermath of destruction, leaving my Pollyanna notion of invincibility aside. I am starting to prepare for such an event. I chatted with my family about emergency plans, and made sure I put important papers, including manuscripts, diskettes, CDs and DVDs of all I have written, into our fire proof files. There is still much to do in those regards, in getting prepared, but at least I’ve begun the process. Have you?
Oh boy. No I haven't begun to prepare at all. Glad you and your family are safe!