Yes. We all know hurricane season runs from
June 1 to Nov. 30. Before it even begins and throughout the season, we hear the
forewarning “Be Prepared.” In our July edition of the newspaper, we ran a full
page with a checklist on how to prepare. I wonder how many of us actually went
through the list and took steps to get everything in order?
The downpours in June reminded us how
vulnerable we are in the Rio Grande Valley to prolonged heavy rainfall. Many
families are still recovering from the damages. Some of our parishes and
Catholic schools in the Mid-Valley woke up June 20 to flooded buildings. San
Martin de Porres School lost everything.
Natural disasters shake us, just as medical
emergencies and other unexpected circumstances do. The disruptions in our lives
not only shake us; they awaken us to what is truly important – our families, our friends, our community –
people.
Hurricane Dolly in 2008, the first direct
hit to our area since Hurricane Beulah in 1967, caused some considerable damage
to our home and left us without power for several days. As we made an inventory
of the damage, what mattered most was not what we lost, but that we were
together and together we could manage. The disruption reminded us as well that
we are just passing through this world as pilgrims. We are not taking anything
with us when we leave.
While it can be devastating to lose personal
belongings when a natural disaster occurs, we learn in time that material
things can be replaced. Indeed, God makes all things new.
A year ago, as we waited for Hurricane
Harvey to hit, I began to worry. After our experience in 2008, I knew we were
not ready. My husband, who lives the Boy Scout motto “Be prepared,” was ready
on the survival aspect. However, my concern focused on the documents and
photos. They are not all in one quick access location.
We were fortunate this time that the
hurricane, a category 4, missed the Rio Grande Valley as it made landfall in
other parts of the state. It devastated and displaced thousands of families,
leaving behind $125 billion in damage. In the midst of this disaster, we
witnessed signs of hope in the way people responded with relief efforts to help
those most impacted. We truly do not walk alone, although sometimes it may feel
that way.
We never know when a storm will strike us
directly, and often times we are unprepared for the landfall of any type of
storm, whether a natural disaster, health crisis, tragic accident or home
emergency. However, we can take some precautions,
some practical steps to help us during challenging times.
It’s too easy to become complacent, with
fingers crossed that the storm will miss us, that we will be spared the
disruption in our life. Reality dictates otherwise. Life is messy. I discovered
this recently with a leak in my ceiling that required me to remove everything
in the room that could get wet. It was certainly an inconvenient disruption,
but one that made me pay attention to how I could better organize.
Why not do our part to be a little more
prepared to deal with the messy? Why not start by making a personal risk
assessment? What are the vulnerable points in your home? Are you in a flood
risk area? Do you have adequate insurance? Ask yourself: “If I had to leave my
home this instant, what would I take with me? What would I save?” Naturally,
the people in our lives are at the top of the list. But what else would you
take? What are the essentials you need: medication, prescriptions, vital
records, insurance documents? Do you have a Last Will and Testament?
My son and daughter are never comfortable
when I remind them before I leave on a trip where to find my Last Will and
Testament, but I know it will be helpful should it ever be needed. No, it is
not easy to talk about some realities. No, I don’t think we can ever be fully
prepared for the crisis that may come. However, we can do our part. We can also
rest assured God will remain always at our side and guide us through the storms
in our lives, no matter what they may be.
Each year as I get older, I feel the
pressure to take action and spend less time worrying about all the things on
the check list I don’t have in order. I pray that Mother Nature will be gentle
this hurricane season. In the meantime, I have a lot to do.
(Originally published in September 2018 edition of The Valley Catholic newspaper)
