2020 is the year of Covid-19 and whatever else the planet wants to throw our way. Even during all the self-isolation, social bubble creating and worries about what one can do to stay safe from the disease, we all have to deal with Mother Earth. She seems pretty upset with us.
My cousin was evacuated from the southern Texas/Louisiana coast because of the hurricane headed her way. She and her house survived the storm’s onslaught. Only lost a few trees. In fact, she is used to having to run from storms and floods. In the last 10 years she rebuilt at least 4 times.
And then my son and his family in California had to prepare for possible evacuation because of the wildfires heading their way. And I say, come here to Oregon. It’s safer here. In the end they did not evacuate. The fire changed directions with the wind. They only had to deal with having the horrible smokey air that kept them all indoors.
2020 is a tough year.
Just after my son let us know he and family were safe, it was our turn here in Oregon. In this normally very wet region in Western Oregon, where it seems to rain most of the year, we were having drier weather. A warning of extreme fire danger flashed on our phones. We were also warned that we could expect fierce, dry winds from the east. There were already a few fires burning in some remote areas, but, suddenly, they seemed to be more widespread and were moving quickly.
The fires raged (and in fact they are still raging to the east of us), burning across terrain that is nearly impossible to access. And then burning through small rural communities. We soaked our lawns and watched the smoke more in. We woke to a red sky that looked like something out of a movie. The air was so toxic that no one wanted to go outside for any reason. We closed up the house and sat and waited for the wind to change or rains to come.
In the midst of this mess – Covid, fire, smoke, worry – I decided to listen to my body’s wisdom and my own advice. It was time for some self-care. I took the week off. Meetings were canceled. Webinar dates changed. I asked for help from the Focusing Initiatives team and got a lot of support. I knitted, crocheted, put together puzzles, watched movies.
What a difference one week makes. After a couple of days my energy returned. The world turned. The wind changed. The air cleared. It rained. Birds returned. Squirrels played on the tree outside the kitchen and the deer are back to munch our flowers.
Ah… it’s good to be back at my desk.
2020 is one heck of a year, don’t you think?
