…and sometimes life sends you a hurricane.
A husband and wife watching the water to see if it will flood their home of 45 years. Residents wait for a tree to be removed from a power line, so they can live in the light again.
Traffic rerouted. Business owners watch as water creeps toward their businesses and livelihood. Countless others wait for the damage that never comes.
The drama and trauma unfolds as nature reminds us that we are not always in control.
…and still, the dawn breaks and the sun returns to remind us that life goes on regardless of the impact of the storm.
Control once again returns to us at least in some limited way.
Neighbors and friends join those in need to provide help in labor, goods, support and love. We are not alone in the time of need. Groups of people gather around those who need help.
We see the goodness and giving nature of humanity.
Storms test us.
Most of the time it is a test of nerves as we wait to see if this time, we are the ones with any damage or even worse the tragedy.
Even, if we are not affected by the storm, we know someone who is. When it is over we often have frayed nerves and guilt. This is survivor guilt. It is the joy and gratitude that this time, we were the lucky ones. Soon the guilt follows the joy. I survived the storm while many others are suffering.
What can we do in times like this? We can look for the opportunity to help. You may be the one to help a neighbor, friend or family member: clean up a yard, donate food or listen to the person telling the story of what happened to them.
For weeks after a storm, people will ask, “How did you do in the storm?” It is an opportunity to help yourself and others. Telling the story of what happened, is how we process memories . By connecting with caring people, we put into perspective our own experience. We process the event and store our memories inside us in helpful ways when we are able tell our story. It helps release the negative energy and impact associated with the event.
Lady Gaga’s performance at this year’s Oscars touched lives across the country. The emotional rendition of “Til It Happens To You” brought the crowd to their feet, and started a conversation about sexual assault.
Holidays may be a great time to see family and friends. They are also a time when we return to old patterns and behaviors. When we go back “home,” we revert to the relationships we had growing up, instead of acting as the grownups that we now are. These are the same relationships and patterns that formed our views of ourselves and our outlooks on life. Along with this, unconscious conflicts may come to the surface, which will cause us to end up in a three-sided behavior pattern.