Looks a bit ridiculous as I look back on it. A hurricane, Irma, was bearing down on my area in Florida. I spent a lot of hours putting all of my stamp inventory on Evernote, taking pic's of all my stamps, storing them under my bed in bins. I did not have time to get my die inventory on Evernote, so I put them inside this bin with all of my inks, my Misti, my Tim Holtz platform, my Tombow markers and my copics. I wrapped the bin with the red straps and tied them into knots. I held my breath and I prayed that the storm would not be as bad as predicted.
We live in the home my in-laws purchased twenty eight years ago, a manufactured home in a nice gated community. A double wide. It's our home right now and it was a home we were told to evacuate because manufactured homes do not hold up well during hurricanes. We were reluctant to leave because we were forewarned by Bob's parents that the shelter experience was a nightmare, and yet that is where we had to head.
For two and a half days we shared space with 489 others who sought shelter. Blanket to blanket, cot to cot, blow up mattress to more blankets, we gathered on the floor of our local middle school gym. I looked at my paper, my green bin, my stamps, my big shots and I wondered if they would still be mine after the storm. I worried about photo's and scrapbooks and "stuff" and I worried about Bob's mom over in her care home. I spent a lot of time worrying and thankfully the storm lessened before it came through. We listened, together, as the storm raged outside. We were shut off from the outside and had no idea what to expect. All ages, all races, all religious affiliations, left, right and center. None of that mattered as we gathered together, sharing our safe space. Each one of those people had their own worries, some worried that they would lose everything. We were there for each other encouraging, calming and praying.
When the storm was passed I drove home and looked at our house as it stood exactly as I had left it. I got out of my car and walked around my house praising God with each step. I am so very thankful. I learned that I might have a bit too much stuff and that if I have it I need to document it and insure it. The stuff cannot replace our lives.... I am blessed.
I learned that the America I know and love is still the America I know and love and that all of the stories I see on TV do not represent what I saw in that shelter. Wonderful people. Truly wonderful people. God is Great!
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