Last week Wednesday my office packed up all computers, moved the generator inside and wrapped all that could be wrapped with tarpaulin. Yep, you guessed it Jamaica was under another Hurricane watch.
Gustav was well on its way to our tiny little island but only as a tropical storm. Maybe it was this rating that had me feeling a certain nonchalance about disaster preparedness. Sure I had water, and tin food but nothing like when Hurricane Ivan was coming. As the night rolled in and I watched the news I started feeling smug, where was the rain? My friends and I had several conversations via blackberry that this was a fool fool storm. Never did I know that before the storm was over I would learn a couple of lessons thanks to Gustav. Let's explore.
Lesson 1 :
No matter how clear the skies might appear ALWAYS prepare. Heed warnings and take expert advice or at least the advice of those who know more about the topic than you. If it had not been the kindness of maxine the expert cook I would have certainly died of hunger (due to lack of crackers) or sever cabin fever. This brings me to lesson 2
Lesson 2 :
NEVER underestimate the kindness of others. It never fails me when someone is kind to me without reservations. So, thanks maxine for the stew chicken, cornmeal dumpling, movie and over all movie :-) and last but by no means least Yolan fi di last water crackers she had (it saved a life)
Lesson 3:
Thank God for small mercies.
It is almost mandatory for the island to lose water when we have a tropical disaster of this magnitude. Needless to say I was not amused. However, I forgot to be thankful for the power and cable that I still had all through out the storm.
Lesson 4:
Be grateful cause so many have it worse.
Seeing all the roofless houses on the local news and the flooding that took place in Cuba really had me feeling like a spoilt shit. How could I complain about water when people where being washed away while sleeping in their homes? Lets not even mention New Orleans. One can only imagine what it must be like for these residents three years after Hurricane Katrina to have to pack up and move out once more in anticipation of another disaster.
These lessons I plan to apply to my everyday life:
No matter how much I feel I have experienced and that I know I will ALWAYS listen to the experts and take that free advice. I will always appreciate the kindness of others no matter how small it might seem. I in turn will hope to surprise someone with my kindness one day. Who knows? I might save a life , lol. Though it is a hard lesson to swallow some time I will try and thank god for small mercies and tying into that so many have it worse and we need to remember that.
So there you have it all the lessons that one storm has taught me. As much as I like the lessons I could do without the storms. But that wouldn't be life now would.
Jah Bless,
Mamachel
2 comments:
It is true that all storms should be taken seriously, and we have been very lucky in regard to storms/hurricanes ever since Gilbert in 1988... but still...
Most of my discomfort with Gustav came after the storm, when I awoke to *gasp* no internet access for SEVERAL hours! Minor problem to be sure, but I am a 'net addict, and so had to resort to giving Digicel my money as I accessed the internet on my mobile...
PS: Glad you're over the writer's block!
Just surfing around and found you. Nice to meet you.
There's a lady on the news who swears to God that the media misinformed us- according to her we were hit by a hurricane! And can you blame her- look at the dammage along the hope river, Harbour view bridge etc.
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