A series of essays.....
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| BLESSED WITH EARLY MORNING SUNSHINE AND SERENADED BY THE CALL OF BIRDS AND SQUIRRELS |
.....as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E. Hughes
I am not saying that most Americans don't have much on
their plates right now; far, far from it. However, when the certainty of a one hundred and
eighty-five mile an hour wind and rainstorm lies on your doorstep, mental status could be
rife for a modicum of pure panic, if not a full-blown anxiety attack of major
proportions.
The uncertainty of the path that Irma will take as she
manhandles her way across Florida will determine my state of mind as time
progresses. Best scenario is if she stays well off to the east of the state.
Then there's always the chance that Irma will show her disdain for our beautiful
west coast and cut Tampa off at the knees. However, for those of us living in
the central areas, as well as both coastlines, the worse case scenario would be
having Irma set her eye (sights) right up the middle of Florida as she rides the
wave of a category four storm. Each journey is completely different. Each one
brings its own set of rules and outcomes.
I have to remember that Irma is currently gnawing her
way through the Caribbean as a catastrophic number five storm and has nearly
annihilated each land mass she has set her eye upon with the loss of life already in her wake. And, she's still hungry for
more! Chewing up, stomping, and blowing away everything in her path, Irma is on
a rampage of mass destruction.
Yet, we are staying put and riding this 'thing' out as
we hunker down here in Orlando.
I've had a friend from up north in Michigan ask me why.
If the tables were turned, he would have left the area long before now. In my
case, it boils down to respecting the obligations one has made to others. My
husband has been working on hurricane proofing (if that's even possible) two
large apartment complexes being built in the Orlando area. As project manager,
he is responsible for the well being of everyone involved at each project and
lives may depend on whether or not all is done properly and with safety always
in mind.
Even though my blood pressure rises a bit with each
passing moment of uncertainty, I respect the fact that with responsibility comes
commitment, strength, and leadership.
All of this seems so impossible to believe as I sit here
looking out at a stunning morning bathed in sunlight and being gleefully
serenaded by the call of birds and the friendly chatter of playful squirrels
while sipping my morning coffee. Is this the so called 'calm before the
storm?'
Charley: 150 mph. Frances: 105 mph. Ivan: 130 mph.
Jeanne: 120 mph. It came to be known as the 'Year of Four Hurricanes' when, for
six weeks in 2004, Florida reeled under their monstrous assault. I was a
hurricane 'newbie' at this point. My utter respect for these horrific storms
grew to enormous proportions that year and I can never forget the emotional
ramifications presented personally to me by each one.
Irma is different so far. She is in a category all by
herself, at least in terms of fear and emotional torment released upon the
reasonable human beings she has teased so incrementally throughout the duration
of this past week. She is powerful. She is hungry. She is unpredictable.
Ultimately, she is relentless and, it is because of this, coupled with the very
recent memory of the victims of Harvey striking the Texas coastline, Irma is the
ultimate 'Emotional Nightmare.'
Most importantly, these storms will always command our utmost respect.
Tonight we begin major preparations for hunkering down
with Irma knocking at our doorstep on Saturday. Important papers and small items
will be placed in plastic tubs with lids securely fastened afterward. All patio
furniture, potted plants, and anything standing alone in the back and front of
the house will be compacted into the back of the lanai. Framed paintings, and
personal photos and photo albums, will be removed from walls and shelves and
placed in our vehicles in the garage while pressing their back bumpers against
the closed garage door for added security from the high winds.
Ziploc bags filled with ice to be placed in
refrigerator freezer with containers of filtered water filling up the
refrigerator itself. These can be placed in a cooler and brought into our 'safe
spot' in the house when needed along with flashlights and prayers. Our master
bedroom closet has served us well in the past.
By late Friday, we must make the decision to board up
the windows of our home. Heavy slabs of plywood used during the onslaught of
2004 are already pre-cut and ready to go. When that is accomplished,
we will be living in a dark, threatening world and praying that the electricity
stays on for as long as possible while hoping that all of this preparedness serves us
well.
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. This is the next phase of
this ominous game taking place between man and Mother Nature. This is the phase
that introduces pure panic and anxiety attacks. Having already served its
purpose of thinking and doing, the mind is now left open to wander creating
infinite possibilities of what the near future may hold.
Born and raised in northern Indiana, I have ingrained
respect for the sheer force of a tornado with powerful winds being its fierce
component. What mainly disturbed me after each onslaught of the 'Year of Four
Hurricanes' was the possibility of each spawning tornadoes. And, they did, with
one claiming a large swath of land and homes only two blocks from our own
neighborhood.
So, tonight we plan, pack, and pray....not, necessarily,
in that order. We'll get through this. We have to. May God blow Irma's sails to
the mighty East and out to the open sea. May all life be spared. I will be
talking with all of you on the other side of this storm because Dan and I are looking forward to
celebrating our forty-fourth wedding anniversary a week from this Friday!
Right now it's time to say, "No way, José! You will not
be knocking on my back doorstep anytime soon. Siga adelante. There will be no
'Hola' extended to you. Our plate is full!"
Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved
