As hurricane season looms and I think about the tragedy and devastation of the 2005 hurricane season, I can not help but realize how much we take for granted.
It is easy to appreciate life when things are going great. And as the distance of time separating me from the last hurricane season, I realize how easy it is to stop the price of a simple and important things in life - drinking water, my husband smile
.Why is it that we lose sight of these things until a crisis brings them into sharp focus? My mom's untimely death from breast cancer as I face my own mortality. In 35 years I've scheduled my first breast biopsy. When I learned that everything was fine, I was thankful for every breath I took.
There is nothing like the impending crisis to make you realize how much you take for granted. During the evacuation before Hurricane Rita, I closed the company and, like many of my friends, collected the things essential to my life (It's amazing how few are really important), and are packed in our car. My husband Tom and I took what May have been one last look at our home and drove away from almost all our material things.
As we drove into a safer haven away from Houston, then returned just 32 hours later, I realized how much I take for granted. Things were in short supply evacuated before we were now almost impossible to find after we returned: canned soup, canned meats, bottled water - even fresh fruit. Almost all gas stations, restaurants and movie theaters are closed. I realized that I am grateful for all these things. Something as simple as electricity to run my fridge and air conditioning is now on my list of gratitude. How fantastic to be able to sleep in my bed after my return to my home intact, and how comfortable it is now. My office, my staff and my friends here in Houston are also high on my list of gratitude.
Now, almost a year later, with everything back to normal, I know that mindful awareness and appreciation of every delicious morsel of life is difficult. However, last year's hurricane season did not teach me one important lesson - not good enough to celebrate and appreciate only the best things in life. Now I have to remind yourself to find strength and joy in the mundane, simple and routine matters.
in honor of all those people affected one way or another for the hurricane season, join me in making all your life your best every day.
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