Do You Prepare for Disaster?
On Saturday, Steve and I passed by what looked like a practice for a large-scale disaster. There were several emergency groups gathered, plus a few dummy victims strewn on the ground.
It got me to thinking, what if we could have practice runs like this on life’s personal disasters? Would we be better prepared?
What if there was a way to be sure we have the right people by our side, the experts, when disaster strikes? People who know how to pull us out of the fire. Lift the wreckage we’ve managed to pin ourselves under.
The best people to have by our side are the ones with expertise, the ones that have been there and have come out the other side.
I’ve been a bit of a loner through most of my life — a few trust issues and lack of confidence to say something as simple as “Hi.” It’s safer being an independent introvert who reads books and surrounds herself with animals.
But it’s not a good place to be when we need a helping hand, rather than a paw.
I have learned to gather with the troops and share stories, tears, and laughter, not just when I’ve reached the point that I need to, but before.
Because I don’t want a life of preparing for disaster. I want a life that is full of friends and just plain “full”.
We’ve had plenty of disaster practice runs (not by choice) recently. I can say that having a life full of friends makes all the difference. We all run to each others’ aid, offer housing, moral support, etc. As soon as a fire breaks out, my phone starts ringing constantly (so I’m talking while I should be running 🙂
Our mutual friend Sue calls me when I’m out on my daily bike ride if a fire breaks out. That way, I can zoom home and save my dogs. Now, that’s a true friend because it’s a daily favor that she does for me that brings me peace of mind.
I keep checking and it looks like so far the fires are staying away (just not far enough away). I’m glad you have someone looking out for you. When my sister had to evacuate in the Arizona fires last year her neighbors were so wonderful.