Growing up in South Florida you learn to prepare for hurricane season. You buy extra water, you have some canned food on hand, you have flashlights and batteries and board games in case the electricity goes out longer than planned.
I got married in the month of May just to avoid any weather issues because we had so much family flying in.
You learn the categories of the storms, the difference between a warning and a watch. Watch is always better than warning and 1 is always better than 5. A category 5 storm is “the worst case scenario.” You pray to the angels in heaven you never have to go through a 5.
So when I see the news reports and pictures and stories of the aftermath of Sandy, all I can think of is, how do you have any semblance of peace when you don’t know when roads will open or subways will work or if you will get your electricity back in months instead of weeks.
My answer to that is you do the best you can, where you are, with what you have.
You go to a friend’s house that does have electricity and take a warm shower and have a hot meal. You admire the service workers, dedicated to helping, and you celebrate what you can, when you can. Even if it is just a bowl of hot soup on a cold night.
You smile at the reporters, in their rain gear, standing somewhere in the middle of nowhere, where nothing is happening, because they want to be there live, just in case something does happen and you need to know.
You breathe in and breathe out and give thanks your loved ones are safe and that you live in a country where rebuilding after devastation is a given.
What a blessing to live in a country whose primary assumption is that if something is broken, we will fix it. And if something doesn’t exist to solve this problem, we will create it.
It’s a given that roads will be fixed and engineers will find solutions to practically unsolvable problems and our government will argue about it endlessly, right up until they sign the checks to pay for it because infrastructure doesn’t have a party. All of us need roads to get wherever we are going.
I see sadness and fear and the bad kind of awe in the eyes of those most affected by the storm. But I also see faith and collaboration and community and leadership and courage.
And those thoughts give me peace.
I can see the situation, all of it, and still choose a thought that gives me peace. At least for a moment. And when I lose that peace, I can think another thought, and another one, and find peace one thought at a time.
In life there are big storms like Sandy and little storms like hurt feelings and misunderstandings.
My husband hurt my feelings today. Really hurt them. And I got cold. I don’t get mad, I get cold. I withdraw. If you have ever held an ice cube in your hand, I can assure you, I was colder.
And he looked in my eyes and he said “I love you and I am sorry.” And I told him, “I believe you.” And the thaw began.
The thought, “he really does love me” gave me peace. So I chose to focus on that thought and let the thaw wash over me. Instead of becoming an iceberg, I melted.
Any thought of love is almost guaranteed to bring you peace. Even if it’s love for your favorite pillow. Or being able to watch your favorite TV show on your phone, or a text from a friend, knowing she is okay.
I have found over the years that small shots of love are hugely effective at waking up peace in my heart. Small glimmers of hope do it too.
How do you find peace after a storm? Please share in the comments.
We are starting a “Season of Peace” here at Modern Married, in preparation for the holiday season in November and December. We have some exciting things planned including Free Live Tele-Classes in December and January (that means over the phone, in case you were wondering, I haven’t mastered teleportation – yet!). For those of you on my supersonic email list, keep your eyes peeled for all the details. First Access notifications will be coming soon. If you are reading this on the blog (yay!) and want to be “in the know,” sharing your name and email in the updates box gets you in!
We are also celebrating the launch of the Life Coach Jam Facebook page. If you would like to share in the humor, inspiration and girlfriendry of two life coaches on a mission to “Think like we mean it and love our lives on purpose,” we would love to have you join us! Click here to connect and remember to click LIKE on the page to get updates whenever we post. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Life-Coach-Jam/421706364562941
