When the winds pick-up
When the winds pick-up to hurricane force, and the storm hovers over the ocean threatening devastation,we all watch and wait in grim fascination.
We, my family, also get to visit together during the evacuation. My niece and her four kids accepted the evacuation advisement and headed north. I came east to help, and because that is what we do. Step-in, step-up, gather and care.
I am pleased I made the trip - the time with the both PA family and Florida-came-north family reinforges our bonds. (Yes, I meant reinforges, as in both reinforces and forges spun into one inclusive word). Distance can make maintaining close familial bonds difficult. Keeping abreast of day-to-day activity, developments, stories and cares over great distance and infrequent gathering is tough, even in the world of text, email, social media, cell phone.
Being able to step out of my day to day and into a space to help a family member is profoundly satisfying. We laugh, and talk, and hear repeat and novel stories, we cook food and eat, set-up and tear-down temporary sleeping quarters, watch the kids play, change baby diapers, attend sports games, hike trails, watch the hurricane reports, work on homework together, sew specialty items, and especially we are grateful for each other and the love that binds us as one.
All that in two short days! Whirlwind family time.
We, my family, also get to visit together during the evacuation. My niece and her four kids accepted the evacuation advisement and headed north. I came east to help, and because that is what we do. Step-in, step-up, gather and care.
I am pleased I made the trip - the time with the both PA family and Florida-came-north family reinforges our bonds. (Yes, I meant reinforges, as in both reinforces and forges spun into one inclusive word). Distance can make maintaining close familial bonds difficult. Keeping abreast of day-to-day activity, developments, stories and cares over great distance and infrequent gathering is tough, even in the world of text, email, social media, cell phone.
Being able to step out of my day to day and into a space to help a family member is profoundly satisfying. We laugh, and talk, and hear repeat and novel stories, we cook food and eat, set-up and tear-down temporary sleeping quarters, watch the kids play, change baby diapers, attend sports games, hike trails, watch the hurricane reports, work on homework together, sew specialty items, and especially we are grateful for each other and the love that binds us as one.
All that in two short days! Whirlwind family time.
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