“Success in life is founded upon ATTENTION to the small things rather than to the large things; to the everyday things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon.”

~~Booker T. Washington

The Pacific Northwest gets hit with severe winter storms every once in a while and just recently a polar weather front decided to drop by for a visit. This winter guest always brings bitter cold and severe winds that leave a dramatic trail of debris. Trees, young and old, are uprooted from their earth homes like toothpicks and tossed this way and that. Crashing down on homes, streets, wires and cables, these evergreen giants are tumbled in just minutes causing massive power outages.

Tens of thousands of people are left without power. That creates severe adjustments of plans when it’s freezing outside. How do you keep warm? What about lights? Cell phones can’t be charged, computers won’t work, microwaves, water heaters, stoves, all out of commission.

In our home we are somewhat prepared. Years ago we installed a fireplace insert and once a fire was started the warmth filled the lower part of our home. However, lighting was another matter. Lots of candles were handy but they don’t give much light. Battery operated flashlights helped however; I decided to add to my mix of candles and flashlight a hurricane lamp that has been sitting on my mantle for years unused just for such an emergency.

Boy, using that lamp gave me a real education. One, the smell of the burning oil is very unpleasant. Two, you have to pay attention to keeping the flame consistent and three, the chimney on the lamp darkened the longer it burned and the strength of the light diminished. The whole experience deepened my appreciation of the pioneer spirit of those who lived before us. A friend called during the power outage and I told what I was using for light. I commented on how I didn’t know how people endured the smells. She jokingly said, “Well, they didn’t live very long and many died from lung disease.” Positive thought…Yuk!

Sarcasm aside, storms pass. Crews of people work around the clock fixing damaged cables and electrical transmitters, repairing homes and cleaning up the chaos that is everywhere.

A friend and I decided to take a break and we went to visit a popular park called Northwest Trek. They had experienced massive damage to trees falling down throughout their area on January 31. It took weeks to tidy things up. However, they left much of the debris from that ferocious storm alone. As we went through the park we learned that giant Madrona’s have a unique bark skin and animals eat the bark and leaves of the fallen giants. Many of these trees and branches provide a food source needed by the deer and various other roaming critters during the cold winter months. Their large male moose had been killed by a falling tree and his body provided nourishment for the bald eagles, raccoons and other animals.

Nothing in nature goes to waste. In the wild, survival is the name of the game on every level. Part of survival is adaptation. What do you do with what you have? How can you improve what seems to be a negative situation? Do you need tools? If so, what kind? After you figure out the answers then it is time for action.

Life is never still. Life expands and contracts in its own way. There is a time for work, play and also time to learn, grow and prepare for the unexpected, sometimes the unpleasant. Nature and her creatures are great teachers if we just take time to observe, listen and think.

Where you are in this moment is just that – nothing more or less. Wishing it to be different, that’s fine but don’t dwell on it. Move forward. Frequently the times of discomfort, inconvenience, sadness and loneliness are some of the spurs that promote us to move out of our lethargy into a new space and place of experience. Storms happen. They mess up routines, however, if you take advantage of their experience they will help you breakdown and clean away old stuff no longer needed, leaving a refreshed outlook for new beginnings.

The best is yet to be. New adventures await you in the form of clarity of purpose and joy of new experience and friendship.

Enjoy!
Donna Seebo

“Every great achievement is the victory of a flaming heart.”
~~Ralph Waldo Emerson