Natural Disasters
“When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was not dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.”—John 6:16-21.
On September 16, 2004, Hurricane Ivan made a direct hit on the town of Orange Beach along the Alabama Gulf Coast near the Florida line. There were twenty-five deaths in the United States, including fourteen in Florida. In addition, this category-three storm caused significant destruction to an area that had become our family’s beloved vacation spot for years.
My heart goes out to the people on the North Carolina and South Carolina coasts who later were visited by Hurricane Florence and so many more since then. I remember the days of looking at any picture that might show if the storm had destroyed our special place. It was weeks before we could return to our condo on the fourth floor and go inside to survey the damage.
We hardly recognized the building. Vast parts of the front facade were gone. Wind and water had destroyed every condo on the first floor. Two large glass doors had blown out of the apartment, and furniture was blown out of the gapping, exposed spaces. The elevators were not functioning, so it was a significant trek up and down the stairs once we figured out where they were. We made multiple trips to dispose of the rotting food left in the refrigerator.
My most explicit memory is the disorientation we experienced when so many familiar markers were gone. Besides the damage to the front of our condominium, street signs were no longer there, familiar buildings had disappeared, and parts of the roads were destroyed. We had to take detours through even more unfamiliar places.
Such a natural disaster is a reminder of what happens when we face major emotional crises or significant changes in our personal lives—such as the death of a loved one, a life-threatening illness, a divorce, a move, or even a new job. At such times, all of our usual markers can disappear. We may become disoriented. Decisions can become agonizingly challenging to make. Sometimes it is hard to find our way. Often it is as though we are in a foreign country, and the surrounding people are speaking a language we have never heard before.
It is essential to recognize this state of mind, take care of ourselves, and be open to receiving help. If we try to white-knuckle it and get through the crisis alone, the burden often becomes intolerable.
We have weathered many other storms since Ivan. But, my experience is that recovery comes, and a new normalcy returns with the blessed and continued support of friends and community.
Recovery is a we, not an I process. Our recovery from this pandemic and time of political and social unrest is also a we recovery. We know we are survivors. We have done this before and know we can do it again. The answer keeps coming that we must reach out to others for help so that we can do the same at some time in the future. We are called to become wounded healers who have been there before.
Joanna joannaseibert.com. https://www.joannaseibert.com/