SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?
But where do I go?
And it won’t be that bad…will it?
I think I’d feel safer in my own home
Besides…where do I go?
And what do I take with me?
How do you decide what means so much to you that you pack it up and take it with you?
And everything you leave behind…
It will be safe…won’t it?
Should I stay or should I go?
But where do I go?
And how bad will it really be?
They’ve been wrong before
I’ve left before and it was a non-event
It could shift in the last minute
And then I did all this work
And spent money I don’t have
And time that I could be doing something else
Should I stay or should I go?
I think I’ll hunker down
And ride it out…
Little did they know they quite literally could be riding it out!
So many factors go into making the decision to leave before a hurricane.
Unlike other natural disasters, such as tornadoes or earthquakes which happen without much warning, a hurricane gives you days – sometimes a week or more to prepare.
During that time the “cone of uncertainty” is displayed across news channels, and you watch with bated breath to see if your home is within it.
One day you are safe, and the next day some meteorological pressure makes the cone shift and suddenly you are in danger. But you don’t know for sure because these storms appear to have a mind of their own and they move to the beat of their own drummer. (Read about Hurricane Matthew here to witness a change in direction that saved me.)
People change as the days go by and you can feel it even if you’re not an empath like I am. At first, they laugh and make jokes. Then they start to feel the fear as patience wears thin, and they slowly move to an every man for himself mentality.
The best and close to the worst part is when the weatherman shows the tracking map and you realize you will be spared, and you don’t have to evacuate. So, you feel this major relief and then you realize that your gain is someone else’s loss, and your heart goes out to them.
This Hurricane Ian was a strange customer. It sure looked as if it would go further north to the Tampa Bay area. If that had been the case, the people in the areas that were hardest hit would have been safe.
But the last day Ian started to track further south, and honestly, I don’t think those people had a boatload of time to evacuate. Up until that point – they didn’t think they had to.
There are many factors to take into consideration, the biggest one being, where do I go? I remember a time when a friend drove south to avoid a hurricane – then it shifted, and they had to drive north. Then the hurricane shifted, and they drove back home!
My heart goes out to my fellow Floridians who have lost so much. My prayers surround them as they make their way through the fog and try to assess what to do. What do they do? How do they do it? We are talking about the total mass destruction of everything they own! It is one thing to recover when there is easy access to the mainland – quite another when the storm was so brutal that it took out bridges and causeways…
There are many who question why these people stayed – and many who will say that they are alive and that is all that matters. I hope I have added a little light to the first statement, and to the second I would say, yes, of course they are lucky to alive, but you cannot make light of the fact that they have lost so much. And some lost everything!
As new images are added each day, and the death toll rises, I hope you will join me in a prayer for every person, pet, and wild animal that has been displaced from their home. May they walk in peace and have sure footing as they make their way through this tragic loss.
Blessitude!
Lorrie <3
10/09/2022
Thanks for your insightful and compassionate view of life in the hurricane zone. It sounds very stressful, especially for those who have had their homes destroyed. I hope you’re safe and sound Lorrie.
Thank you, Brad. I am well and did not suffer any damage, although we did have 2 tornado warnings from the outer bands…and that was new…and scary! My heart truly hurts for those who lost so much…and so many lives were lost.
Hope you are well, Brad…have a great week!
Glad to know you’re safe Lorrie. Hugs.
Thanks, Brad…hugs right back!
What a compassionate post, Lorrie! I can feel your anguish for others with every word. Unfortunately, it sounds like “survivor guilt” and I have no fix for that. Bad things happen all around us and it’s hard to understand. But you made a lot of sense of the stress of preparing. It sounds tough! I never really had thought about that aspect before.
When there are wildfires, sometimes people only have a few minutes to grab something before escaping. I’ve thought about what I might grab and it’s definitely something to prepare for. Sending big hugs, Lorrie!
Hi Judy. Yes, I can’t even imagine a wildfire raging toward your home! I guess we should try not to be attached to things for this very reason. Some might think it better to have plenty of time to prepare but I think it is harder in some aspects. I do think a huge part is that not too long ago another cat 4 was heading to that same area…and it moved a little north…and it was not as wide…so these people didn’t think it would be bad. It’s almost a reverse “cry wolf” scenario…or maybe not even reverse! This Ian definitely made me think more about how I will react in future storms.
I didn’t write after Thursday…I’m just so happy that I was able to be there, Judy. You touched every soul. I couldn’t sleep that night…your memories were so vividly expressed…I swear I felt like I was there!!
Have a great week ahead, Judy. Much love and light!
I had cousins who were lucky to just get out with there lives during a wildfire. It does help not to be attached to things, but I learned from their experience about what we take for granted. My cousin lost all her photos and mourned that. I was able to share with her some copies that I had because of my parents’ collection.
Lorrie, thank you for tuning in on Thursday. I hadn’t thought about how my story might have really affected those listening. It certainly affected me me – I was emotionally tired and perhaps still am. But it let out a lot of feelings, as it always does What can I say to tell you how moved I am that you were there and that it caused you to lose sleep at night? OMG, I feel so connected to you! I am sorry you lost sleep, though. You need that! I mean this very deeply – thank you for being there. You are dear to me!
No worries, Judy 😊 I want you to take it as the utmost respect and gratitude for your writing skills. Ot everyone can take such a personal, painful story and express it in a way that makes the listener feel as though they were there witnessing it with their own eyes!
I was so happy I could be there…and I also feel so very connected to you. I am happy that you felt a release…that is so important!
EnJOY this new week…all good things to you my friend 😊💜
Hi Lorrie, what a compassionate post. Like you, my heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones, pets and possessions. My husband’s family lost everything when their home burnt down back in the Ash Wednesday bushfires many years ago. Whether it’s from fire, hurricane or other unpredictable natural disasters human nature is often tested. Prayers for all Lorrie and thank you for this heartfelt post. I’m glad you were spared my friend. Sending love and hugs 🙏
Hi Miriam 😊 Thank you so much for your heartfelt words and for sharing about your husband’s family. How terrible that must have been! My sister had a house fire years ago and I know how deeply it affected her. This was a monster storm and I have never seen the level of damage Hurricane Ian created.
Thanks for your support, Miriam…I know how it goes…for the first week or two it is on the news constantly, and then it becomes old news and the people are left to carry on by themselves.
Hope the hunt for living quarter for your son have come along and that you are making progress daily!
Much love!
Yes, you’re right Lorrie. Like any catastrophe the media highlights it repeatedly then the people are left to fend for themselves. It was the same here earlier this year with the floods. But community spirit is amazing.
Things here are progressing day by day and we now have plans for Daniel to move inti a unit in a couple of weeks. It’s amazing how things work out when we stay positive and aligned. Hope all else is good with you my friend. Big hugs! xx
Thank you for this compassionate post! I get so tired of people second guessing those who didn’t get out in time, or who chose to live in an area prone to hurricanes in the first place. (Everywhere is vulnerable to some sort of natural disaster!) I can’t imagine trying to make the decision on when to leave, where to go, and what to take. I wrote about Sanibel, just because it was my favorite vacation destination, and although it is a barrier island, some people chose to stay. But they did so because up until about a day or so before, it looked as if the hurricane would go north of them. So when the evacuation orders came (and they can’t be mandatory until shelters are established) they really had very little time to prepare to get out. I can see why “riding it out” seemed like a logical conclusion to some. What people who are devastated by a natural disaster need is our compassion, not our judgement. We are called to love, not to judge…thanks for reminding us of that!!!
Oh, Ann. Thank you for adding such heartfelt and passionate thoughts to this post! You are spot on with the thoughts and emotions that surround the whole ordeal from first hearing about “an invest” to making landfall and the devastation that follows.
I live in such a beautiful place and 99% of the year it is incredible, and I feel so grateful. I know EXACTLY how those people felt. I stayed for Hurricane Wilma, which was supposed to be a cat 1. It was one of the most frightening times and I swore I would never stay for another. (They later said the storm was a cat 3 when it tore through our town because it came across the everglades which is hot water!)
I know that humans are resilient, but those who stayed will likely never forget what they went through. And those who left and came back to nothing…well…they won’t forget either.
I’m with you, Ann. Love and compassion is what these people need. And you are also correct that all areas are vulnerable to some kind of disaster. I won’t lie and say that I didn’t think, “Maybe I should move…”
Thanks for adding here. I hope someone reads your words and thinks differently.
Sending lots of love and light!
🙏🏼🙏🏽🙏🏾
Yes! Thank you 🙏
I’m so glad you are safe Lorrie and your house and possessions are fine too. I can only imagine what it must have felt like. I have friends in Florida, and I kept checking on them. I felt so helpless being so far away and unable to help. Thank you for sharing how it feels to make a decision to stay and then to leave. I have the utmost compassion for everyone, and don’t judge any decisions. It must be an emotional roller coaster. God bless you! and your kind heart.
Hi Linda 😊 Thank you for your kind heart and words! I’m sad to say that what always happens…the media keeps these disasters alive for about 2 weeks and then it is old news and they don’t cover it…happened. And yet the people are left with total destruction and no place to live! They will figure it out, because they don’t have a choice. My heart goes out and aches for them. I heard people questioning their decision to stay and just had to offer what it feels like and maybe some of those people will understand.
I was so happy to see you arrive in my inbox…and wow…what a wonderful story! I’m so happy you got your camera back (and so happy that you are using it 😉😉)
Thank you for your blessing, Linda…it means alot. God bless you too! I hope you feel love and connection 🙏
Thank you so much Lori. I’ve been having health challenges, but getting out when I feel good, like that weekend in Wisconsin. I do what I can. I agree that the media is not helpful. They don’t keep covering a story once the storm is over. Prayers for all the people that have lost something. I can’t even imagine. Thanks for making it real for all of us.
Oh, Linda…I am sending pure, white, healing light!!! I am sorry to hear you have health issues and will keep you in my prayers. If there is anything I can do to help, I am here…always! If you ever need to talk, please reach out. With all the modern technology we could do it in so many ways!!!
I pray for this day to bring you relief, and always much love 💜
thank you so much Lorrie for your healing thoughts and prayers. You made my day.
That’s a beautiful thing…Thank You!! 🙏💜