Until recently, I’ve always thought that hurricanes don’t affect us here in middle Tennessee. Let me be clear, I am not saying that we have the same life-threatening concerns as our friends in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi or Louisiana, but we are touched by those outer bands. We are still affected by the storm.
For the last three days, I haven’t walked our dogs, Lucy (dachshund) and Louis (standard poodle). They know and expect a certain routine each day. We have coffee on the porch (they chase birds, squirrels, rabbits and neighbor dogs), we have breakfast, do morning chores and once the dishes are loaded into the dishwasher, the bed is made and a load of laundry started, they follow me until I put on my shorts and t-shirt. Pulling out my tennis shoes means that I’ve signed the contract; we are going on a walk!
Instead, the rain has kept us inside. We are getting antsy. This morning, I decided that we all needed a walk. When we left, it was just drizzling. We could all handle that. Although, Louis is usually less convinced that he won’t melt, even he seemed unaffected. As we kept going the drizzle became a steady sprinkle. Still, we carried on. Once we hit the half-way point, our sprinkle became a downpour. Since we were so far into our walk, we had no choice but to keep going.
Walking through the pounding rain, I started to think of how Ida’s outer bands were a lot like being a loved one who is affected by the addictions of others. My grandfather was an alcoholic who died before I was born and I didn’t see how his drinking could affect me in my life. I wasn’t present for his active addiction. I didn’t face the devastating destruction that his drinking caused. But, those outer bands of his dis-ease, settled over our family for years to come.
The fears that his drinking left, were visited upon generation after generation. The fallout from his behavior in active addiction didn’t leave my father’s memory. He carried it with him and it stifled him. He raised his children with the whispers of that fear always present.
I think every family has something that they deal with. There is some struggle that you’ve faced. Maybe it’s not addiction. Whatever the struggle, it’s important to realize that it has had an affect on your life. There are things that we can do to stop allowing the storm to keep us inside all of the time.
Like a hurricane, you will need to protect yourself from the active drinking or using. Pray for direction and talk to a trusted friend. Once the dangerous part of the storm has passed, it’s important to get out into the rain. What parts of the storm linger over you? Where are they holding you back? Is the fear that you have, still valid?
St. Ignatius teaches us to look for God in all things. There is a lesson everywhere, if only you can look up from the problems that weigh you down. This morning was a gift. Like my poodle Louis, I didn’t melt. I got wet, but I faced the rain and felt better after my walk.
As always I am praying for you and your families.