I'm writing from my phone so this probably won't be a long post. I've been very lucky in my life. In the 27 years I've been alive, I've been through a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, and various horrible weather, all without losing anything I held dear.
Last Wednesday, we had some rain. It has poured before, so I wasn't too surprised and we have a sump pump so I wasn't worried about flooding. Then the rain got a bit insane. My phone started exploding with flash flood alerts from the National Weather Service (didn't even know it would so that lol), but I still wasn't too worried. That sort of thing happens to other people, right?
I was stuck at work about 45 minutes from home when my husband called to say the garage had flooded. Usually, that wouldn't be a big deal, but we moved about 6 weeks ago and hadn't unpacked everything. There were still some boxes in the garage and some framed pictures, including one I've had my entire life and one that is an oil painting from a wedding photo. All I could think was "OMG". I was trapped in the city with no way to gauge the damage. My husband tried to explain what was happening but he had no way to really convey it. Your mind always thinks the worst. I wanted to get home so badly but had to wait until it was safe. The entire time, I wracked my brain trying to remember what would still be in the garage.
We were exceedingly lucky. Only a few inches of water flooded the garage, but it's amazing how much that can destroy. A number of favorite books, an irreplaceable photograph that reminded me of my parents and home, knick knacks. We lost some things I don't care too much about like kitchen gadgets and a digital camera. It's those sentimental things that hurt. It taught me a valuable lesson. Not only in the wisdom of not putting off unpacking, but in letting go of things. I'm a pack rat by nature and hate letting go of things. I waded through the damage, deciding what to try to salvage and what was a dead loss. I also learned to have hope.
The picture I was most devastated to lose, the irreplaceable sunset picture that had always hung in my parents house, is apparently not irreplaceable. An amazingly talented friend who can digitally paint will recreate the image. Another lovely friend will replace the signed book I'd bought from her. Most of all, I learned how lucky I am. This could have been so much worse. We lost things, nothing more. Our dog was home alone and if the water gas risen into the house, the loss could have been far worse. We are lucky to have gotten only a taste of the destructive power of water and I have a much greater respect for it now.
I know this isn't what I usually post, but I wanted to share it with you all, lovelies. I'll try to share more personal things like this in the future <3
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