Seventeen years ago Hurricane Andrew made an unexpected turn and with brutal force pummeled Homestead Florida. Where our home was. If you know me, you know this is why a bad thunderstorm still makes me a bit uneasy, why I am not a fan of ominous gray skies. August 24, 1992 is a night that will forever be etched in my brain. I will never forget the howling sound of the powerful gusts of wind, how scared I was as we moved from corner to corner as the roof of the house was being torn to pieces by the storm, In turn setting off the ear-piecing alarm of our home security system. I remember my stepdad taking off his belt, tying it to the door knob, and pulling with all his might, in an effort to stop more wind from going into our living room, which would launch the furniture towards the bedroom we were in. My mom and I hid in the closet. She hugged me, and I returned the embrace, all the while getting more and more scared, because all the while I saw fear clearly present on my mom’s face. Something I had never really seen before. I was utterly terrified at the wrath of mother nature, yet oddly comforted by my parents. I knew that when it was all said and done, it would all be okay. I think that’s the power of the innocence of an eleven year old. Loosing your home, and pretty much every possession is devastating, but It just reinforced what my mom had always taught me: that material things come and go, but the important thing is the people we love. We were all okay. At that time, insurance companies had better coverage and response, and genuinely took care of things. They put us up in a hotel, and with was payed for everything that was lost, my parents bought the home they live in today.
The anniversary of Andrew always makes me slow down and be thankful to be alive, appreciative of every year that’s passed since then. I am certainly not that innocent eleven year old kid anymore, but I feel that the lessons and experiences of that night still resonate with me today. I find myself in a transitional period in my life, both professionally and personally I find it more important than ever to appreciate relationships. While filled with change, ambiguity, and perhaps even some unpleasant experiences, I believe that these transitional periods are huge catalysts for personal growth. We learn how to handle whatever arduous situations we may be facing, we learn patience, and perhaps one of the most poignant lessons of all, you learn who’s really there for you.
This year however, something was different. The importance of relationships and patience just seemed heightened. I pride myself in being loyal, forgiving and for the most part an easy going person. There is little I wouldn’t do for my friends, because I love them. It’s easy for me. I don’t call many people my friends. Not because I don’t believe in friendship, quite the opposite, because I believe in it so strongly. So many people loosely call others “friends,” then wonder why they don’t really have someone who they can call in the middle of night if they’re upset, someone who will bail them out of trouble, No questions asked. I think one of the worst things you can do is attach such a special label to someone who hasn’t proven worthy of it. That’s almost as bad in my book as saying you love someone, when clearly, there’s no way you could possibly feel that, or worse yet, to say it when you don’t mean it.
What’s on my mind tonight, thanks to Hurricane Andrew is that the influence of life altering experiences such loosing everything and surviving a hurricane can’t be denied. However, it shouldn’t take such a traumatic experience to remind us to appreciate those around us, to tell those close to us that we love them. I may not be that eleven year old anymore, but there is something powerful about childhood experiences. On a soc nets note, I’m also glad that over the weekend, Facebook brought back into my life two of my favorite people from childhood. Yet another reason to remember the value and friendships. l don’t say this enough, but don’t take those who are important to you for granted. To my friends: I LOVE YOU!!! Thanks for always being so amazing.
What are some of your childhood lessons? Leave it in the comments!
