What’s with this weather? Oh my… we had a huge storm last night. The barn was flooded with water and our road got washed away. It was a loud and scary storm! Thankfully no one here was hurt.
After the storm I watched my two-legged friends examine the damage, and was struck by how well they were dealing with the emergency. Rather than getting upset or lamenting the losses, they moved forward and made a plan. They called for a tractor, ordered some gravel to fill in the washout in the road, and got out the shovels. I heard them say that this same storm system had spawned killer tornadoes all across the country, so this was nothing in comparison. While they were cleaning up the mess they talked about how grateful they were to be spared that kind of damage. They even stopped at one point and offered silent prayers and positive energy to those who were hurt or killed, and those who lost their homes.
Life is hazardous. There’s just no denying it. Bad things happen. Sometimes loved ones are taken from us way too early. Sometimes property is lost or destroyed. That just the way it is. Loss needs to be felt. Grief must be acknowledged and fully experienced. Denying it just postpones it.
But your experience of your life after the event is a choice. You can fall apart and lament the disasters, or you can pull yourself up and do what you can to make the best of what’s laid out before you. You can stay stuck in the grief or become chronically angry, or you can look at things from another angle and be grateful for the good that is left. The choice is yours.
I’m very appreciative of the people I have around me. They are positive thinkers who move beyond the negative events as quickly as humanly possible. They acknowledge their upset feelings and then look for the proverbial silver lining. This takes work and focused determination, but they do it every time, no matter how bad things look at first.
It is said, life is 20 percent what happens and 80 percent how you react to it. How do you react to the upsets in life? What is your 80 percent like? Are you willing to take responsibility for your experience, or do you prefer to be a victim? Do you intentionally look for the upside, or are you more comfortable staying in the pain?
Today, I’m going to appreciate the green grass, the beautiful clear blue sky, and the friendly fellow who is patching up the road. I still have a barn, a shed full of hay, and friends to keep me company.
What do you have to be grateful for today?
Love, Moshi
From Indy:
The storm really scared me. I admit it. I was so afraid of the crash-boom of the lightning that I had to hide under Jane’s chair. She tried to assure me that I was going to be okay, but that prickly electricity in the air was just too much for me to handle. I couldn’t even hear her reassurances through my fear. I was shaking and whining all through the storm, horrified that we were going to be killed.
When it was over, I felt a bit silly. Jane had never seen me so scared, and was concerned. I was embarrassed. But Jane didn’t get mad or judge me for being afraid. She’s been afraid herself, and she knows sometimes it simply overwhelms you. She reminded me that she loves me and knows that I did my best in the moment. She said she would always be there for me, no matter what.
Being afraid is natural. Usually it happens when you feel like you have no control in a situation. It often happens when you don’t have a plan and don’t know what to do. Fear interferes with logical thought, so it’s tough to make a plan when you’re already frightened.
While they were cleaning up after the storm, Jane and her friend Ruth decided to make a plan for the horses in case a natural disaster happens again. They’re going to make a list of all the horse people in our area, along with emergency phone numbers and information as to who has access to horse trailers and who would need a ride. They are going to contact our local law enforcement and find out if there is a plan already in place to evacuate large animals. If no plan exists, they are going to help create one.
Jane and Ruth are going to make arrangements now for a safe haven for the horses should we ever need to be evacuated, such as a fairgrounds or show facility, and let everyone in the area know where they can go to be safe. They will have this plan in place as soon as possible, so they won’t be trying to figure out what to do in an emergency situation. Planning prevents panic, so they are going to make this plan today while the sky is blue and the sun is shining.
I’m lucky that I get to stay at Jane and Rhett’s side when things get bad. I fit in the car, so I can evacuate with them. I’m going to hold that thought the next time I get frightened by a storm, and see if I can do a better job of keeping my wits about me. I just need a plan, and to have Jane remind me that all will be well.
Do you have a plan in place in case you need to evacuate? Might be a good time to create one, while the weather is nice. It’s much better to have a plan and not need one, that to be faced with an emergency and have no idea what you’re going to do.
Right now I’m going to take a nap. Watching everyone clean up after that storm has worn me out!
Love, Indy
Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602