We got away more lightly, though it was a week where the easiness of our normal daily life was vividly exposed. Not surprisingly, the more stripped from our luxuries we are, the more we value the ones we have.
In times like this, the busy life we lead makes no sense to me. I would like to stop everything and stay put, contemplating the force of nature. And, as the trees will surely recover, to be filled with renewed enthusiasm.
Sorry to see the landscape so tattered. We had extreme winds here in the US over the past few days, so the scene here is very similar. No trees fell on our property--just a lot of tree limbs--but when driving out of the neighborhood yesterday, I noted many fallen trees that had clearly blocked roads during the storm. Nature does have a habit of reminding us of our limitations.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to "see" you here, Mary. Does your area have extreme winds frequently? I know it's colder than here. We don't experience this kind of weather very often thankfully, as we are clearly not prepared (our family and our community) to this extreme weather.
DeleteI wouldn't say frequently, but we can have extreme weather during winter and summer, enough to make wind storms a serious concern as many of the local trees (e.g. poplars, pines) grow very tall but aren't stable in high winds. Losing power is a frequent occurrence during these events. My youngest son lost his home during a bad storm several years ago. A neighbor's tree fell lengthwise across his house. It was totally destroyed, in part by the tree significantly damaging the structure and the rest ruined by the 13" of rain that came through the opened roof. So we take wind and storm warnings seriously and try to prepare as best we can. Sometimes, though, you are simply at the mercy (or not) of nature.
DeleteOh no! I can only imagine how stressful and dangerous that situation must have been to your family, Mary. Minor luxuries are insignificant when life-threatening dangers may occur. Stay as safe as possible!
DeleteWhat struck me more than the trees Cristiana, was your last paragraph. I recognise that feeling well, and all I can say is... listen to that voice!
ReplyDeleteI know you do, Lotta, and I'm excited to see where it will lead you. I hope you'll write more about presence and simple living in the future. For me, at the present moment, all I can do is acknowledge that voice while attempting small steps closer.
DeleteThat is a sad sight - it may take some time but they will probably recover. It takes the time it takes.
ReplyDeleteI love the words: It takes the time it takes. Applies to everything really, doesn't it? Difficult to do the waiting but how freeing can it be to just let it be...
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