The past month has been an amazing ride. Hurricane Ike blew through our land-locked state and swept away life as we knew it. I live in a neighborhood full of very large trees, including a big black walnut tree in our front yard. Those walnuts were missiles on the wind!
We were ill-prepared for a long-term power outage. At least the weather was decent. We sat in our family room with the windows and doors open and heard a strange noise…neighbors laughing and talking…together!
They sat outside until late, watching their children play. We read books by candlelight and heated water over tea lights!
It was fun for a while. Then reality set in. We’d lost everything in our refrigerator, but so did everyone else, as well as all the nearby grocery stores and restaurants. The ones that were open got slammed!
We barely got back on our feet when the stock market crashed and for a while there, things looked very dark. It was then that I realized how quickly life as we know it can change. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…Are you ready?
Betty Thomason Owens 