Where can there be happiness now?
This is a tough article to write. There's just so much devestation around us that it's hard to think about being happy. Or even where to look for it. When you look into someone's eyes that has lost everything material, what do you see? You see despair, hopelessness, frustration, fear. It is the immediate affect of the disaster that has caused this. I remember that feeling when I lost a house completely to a fire. I was in shock as I stood there and watched everything I owned burn completely to the foundation.
But look deeper into their eyes. I mean really,really deep. You will see determination, stanima, strength, hope, love, thankfulness and a strong desire to rebuild their lives. You see survivorship. Real, true surviving. Something about our basic human nature keeps us going even when we want so badly to give up. But we go on. Because we know, this too shall pass. Some will not make it. We will have to say goodbye in some form or fashion. And it will be hard. But we will always cherish their memory.Something that nothing, not a storm, nor fire, nor death can ever take away from us.The wonderful memories. As the days pass, we will catch ourselves smile just for a moment on no particular day. Then it will happen again. It will take time, but it WILL happen. It may take years, but someday we are going to be sitting on our porch swapping war stories of how we survived. And the kindness that thousands upon thousands have shown us.We probably won't even remember their faces, but we will remember that they were there. We will help each other rebuild our lives. Even if all it means is that you got a hug, just when you really needed one. Yes, Happy will find it's way back into our lives. And this time we will appreciate it more than ever. It's still there and it will be the one little thing that will help us through this. It will take over the despair and become normal again as we see the progress that we make.
I pray that we each stop for a moment and reflect that yes, even though we may have to suffer for a month or so without power or water, or we lost everything, we survived. And we should be proud of that fact and feel blessed that we have the chance to recover. Even if ninety percent of your day is so horrible, please don't forget that 10% that keeps you going. That's the part that will be the happy part of the day. It's still there. Even if it's just a little bit right now. It's still in our hearts and our souls. Just please try to appreciate that small part of being happy when you catch yourself being there. It's like a Kodak moment in life. Don't miss it this time.
But look deeper into their eyes. I mean really,really deep. You will see determination, stanima, strength, hope, love, thankfulness and a strong desire to rebuild their lives. You see survivorship. Real, true surviving. Something about our basic human nature keeps us going even when we want so badly to give up. But we go on. Because we know, this too shall pass. Some will not make it. We will have to say goodbye in some form or fashion. And it will be hard. But we will always cherish their memory.Something that nothing, not a storm, nor fire, nor death can ever take away from us.The wonderful memories. As the days pass, we will catch ourselves smile just for a moment on no particular day. Then it will happen again. It will take time, but it WILL happen. It may take years, but someday we are going to be sitting on our porch swapping war stories of how we survived. And the kindness that thousands upon thousands have shown us.We probably won't even remember their faces, but we will remember that they were there. We will help each other rebuild our lives. Even if all it means is that you got a hug, just when you really needed one. Yes, Happy will find it's way back into our lives. And this time we will appreciate it more than ever. It's still there and it will be the one little thing that will help us through this. It will take over the despair and become normal again as we see the progress that we make.
I pray that we each stop for a moment and reflect that yes, even though we may have to suffer for a month or so without power or water, or we lost everything, we survived. And we should be proud of that fact and feel blessed that we have the chance to recover. Even if ninety percent of your day is so horrible, please don't forget that 10% that keeps you going. That's the part that will be the happy part of the day. It's still there. Even if it's just a little bit right now. It's still in our hearts and our souls. Just please try to appreciate that small part of being happy when you catch yourself being there. It's like a Kodak moment in life. Don't miss it this time.
I love you mom! Hang in there!