Waterlogged: Grateful for the Little Things

Ringing madly through sleep filled lids, the phone blared louder than any alarm. Anytime work phones at an ungodly hour, you hustle faster than fast and plot faster than any pirate hoarding gold. Mom (who thought she was coming for quality time with me), you have the kids. Himself...does work need you if not lend a truck and bins...lets roll. Did I say roll? I meant swim...

Today was one of the most emotional days I have ever spent working. I have participated in drafting disaster plans and have watched the news while others cope with devastation. Conferences have explained how to do things in the event of an emergency and there was a plan. I never in a million years thought I would have to deal with a minor but impactful river getting too big for it's britches. Today was the day.

From arrival, it was packing up offices to salvaging treasures. Thankfully, we had done everything we could to minimize the damage the day before but the waters rose much higher than anticipated. And kept coming. Everything was moved to higher ground. Off site and on site, the volunteers, staff, board members, community businesses and forestry pooled their efforts to assist us with mitigating the damage.

I have worked at this site for 10 years. The creativity, funds spent and people that worked on projects are invaluable to me. It was emotional and adrenaline filled wading through the river to retrieve yet more boxes.  I can confess I laughed to try and stay positive. I cried, because there is absolutely nothing you can do when a river charges. I know already it could have been so much worse...and we don't know if it is over yet but through this I have taken time to acknowledge a few things.

Little things.

• Our board members went above and beyond anything I have ever seen.
• Volunteers come from everywhere in the face of calamity, not to ogle but to HELP. From boxes, to hot coffee, to equipment to trailers...I cried in the face of their generosity.
• The humour while under siege is necessary to get the job done.
• People are committed to our town. Nothing is ever someone else's problem. It is ours and as a community, people pull together to get the job done - even in waist deep river water.
• The river has trees barrelling down at break neck speeds - yet not one has run into a building.
• Everything critical was saved.
• The river was cold, but not icy - could have been so much worse.
• My mom was here to manage the home for the girls.
• I had lemon meringue pie for dinner.

Having experienced this in a small city with a big heart, I can only say that I am truly blessed to live in a northern town. I am so grateful for the little things, that I know eventually, the big picture will become clear again.

What else can I say? THANK YOU!

http://globalnews.ca/video/634382/fort-mcmurray-floods if you want more details

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