Peace in the Midst of the Storm

The storm is coming and I am prepared.  I understand the issues that can be created when the winds and rains of a hurricane are upon us. 

I have memories of many such occurrences.

I remember when we missed school for a week - when our family of six slept on the floor (on mattresses) and listened as the wind howled through the trees near Pottsburg Creek.  That was in 1964. And the name of the Hurricane was Dora.

All these years later I live in Mandarin.  My friends here have vivid memories of  that Hurricane.  Anne Morrow was standing at her bedroom window when a tree fell into the beloved Stowe window at the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour.  

At this time in my life, I'm very aware of that tragedy.  Not only am I a member at Our Saviour, I'm the volunteer coordinator at the Mandarin Museum, so I know a little about Harriet Beecher Stowe's 17 winters on our beloved St. Johns.

I like that connection.  I had no clue as a high school senior that there might be something that tragic happening on the other side of our county.  And who would have dreamed that 58 years later, I would be this closely aligned to it.

From Dora to Ian - many hurricane experiences and memories and strangely, I don't remember being concerned about hurricanes when I lived in other parts of the country.  Certainly not the way our family memories seem to be interested in our well-being when our area is in harm's way (for which I am grateful).

As I reach into my memory bank I remember Hugo - nothing between Dora and Hugo - I'm sure there were others.  I just can't remember them (that would be something most people would not believe - Paula not remembering).

I do remember driving through South Carolina and seeing the destruction that Hugo's path left.  I think that was in 1989,  I usually remember what was going on with our family in relation to a hurricane.  Renee was a Freshman at Stetson for Andrew, Tray was about to marry Kristen when Floyd was the issue. 

 And then there's the year that daddy was concerned that a rescue vehicle might not make it down our street if the wobbly tree across the way fell.  The name of the hurricane nor the year are in my memories.  I just remember how grateful daddy was when I called the JSO non-emergency hotline and was told they had it under control. 

Five years ago I heard the trees fall on my deck as Irma passed through.  Renee had been forced to evacuate Naples.  During Ian, I have been so grateful that she and Wally live in Nashville as I see the photos that are coming out of Southwest Florida.

I am also grateful that my mother is not at Westminister Woods as she was in 2019 when the patients were evacuated.  She has been at Westminster only a few months and the move took a toll on her.  She was most confused.  Not sure I was grateful then.

But these are my memories. 

About 18 months ago Bill Morrow shared the memory of one of his friends. And that story had a profound impact on me.  

In fact, it is now my favorite hurricane memory and it's not even mine

It seems that this man's wife had recently had a hip replacement.  They lived on Julington Creek and he brought her home from rehab the day before Hurricane Irma was headed this way.

She slept in a recliner and just before dawn he woke her.  She asked about the creek and was told - it's high.  She was afraid.

"What are we going to do?", she asked her husband.

He was calm.  He knew there was nothing to do.  

So he told her they were going to have a cup of coffee.

And the way the story goes, her fears were eliminated.   Unfortunately, while nothing bad happened that day to the man and his wife, the waters did destroy the foundation of their home.  So he built her a new home - right on that same spot. 

I didn’t know her but I believe that she was very grateful for the home that she enjoyed for just 18 months before she passed away.

I had met the man only briefly when Bill told me this story.  I was already interested to learn more about him.  And after hearing the story I knew – this was a very kind man.

So here’s another thing I am grateful for as Hurricane Ian makes its way toward us - that man is my best friend - who still believes a cup of coffee works -- 

May your life have enough sunshine,  To make you appreciate the shadows