April 5, 2025… What the Hurricane Taught Me Issue 15

With all the weather events across the county this week, I was thinking of of my hurricane experience in Florida.

In August of ’92, I had recently moved to Florida. I was living in South Miami when the weather reports started tracking a tropical storm off the coast. This was a common occurrence during hurricane season. But when the news reports started talking about the direct path to Miami, and the shortage of hurricane supplies, I paid attention.

Hurricane Andrew was headed straight for the tip of south Florida, and I had no idea what hurricane supplies even were! My house had glass across the front and back, with a flat roof, surrounded by a six-foot cement privacy wall. The front screen roof enclosed the patio to keep all the giant bugs and flying frogs out of the swimming pool.

I wasn’t sure whether my house was safe because of the privacy wall and flat roof, or in danger because of all the glass. I didn’t have the skills to mount plywood over all the glass, so I was betting on the privacy walls to protect the glass.

Hurricane Andrew was forecasted to make landfall one sweltering night in August. I packed myself and my two standard poodles into an interior walk-in closet, with water, food, wine, sleeping bags, and tv with extension cord under the door. The winds started about 10 pm. The first thing to go was the power, so I quickly tip toed out of the closet to get a flashlight and my transistor radio.

When I woke up around 2 am, the ferocious winds sounded like a freight train roaring by the house. Even the dogs were scared, and I realized I should have taken the warnings of a category 5 more seriously… it wasn’t a slumber party in the closet ;)

I turned on my radio, but it was mostly static. I sat there on the floor of my closet, comforting my black poodles, Whoopi and Lulu, and swearing to myself if I made it through this nightmare, I was moving from this dreadful, humidity dripping, bug, snake, and frog infested state… I still call it The F State.

And then, without warning, it was dead silent. I was in the eye of the hurricane. What a strange sensation. I took the dogs outside to potty and check things out with my flashlight. The screen dome over the pool was ripped and there was a giant tree branch and my neighbor’s barbecue in the shallow end of my pool, along with a couple of patio chairs that had also flown over the wall into the deep end. But no broken glass…whew!

I walked to the back of the house to check, and there were bright green 10-inch blobs all over the flat rock patio. At first, I thought aliens, which would not have surprised me. But they were avocado bombs blown from my giant avocado tree… smashed flat except the pit…too slippery to walk on. My standard poodles were in heaven, thinking they were at a midnight avocado doggie buffet.

It was the eerie quiet in the eye of Andrew, that I will always remember, not even a macaw squawking from a local banyan tree. I lived close to the tourist attraction, Parrot Jungle.

Luck was on my side the next morning, with only random branches and a foot of wet tree debris everywhere, in August, with no air conditioning or other power for a month. It took a week for city crews to clean the fallen trees and debris from our street, but nothing was reopened yet, so nowhere to go.

Take a moment to imagine being in a hurricane. Hurricanes are up to 300 miles across, with the eye 20 to 40 miles across. Wind speed for a category 5 hurricane is over 157 mph, with the wall of the eye whipping the strongest winds. Time in the hurricane’s peaceful eye can last 30 minutes to 3 hours.

And why do I share all this with each of you?

Over the years, I have come to think of my hurricane experience as a metaphor for the disasters in life. Here are some of my thoughts that I ponder now and again.

Calm Amidst Chaos: Just as the eye of a hurricane is a calm center surrounded by turbulent winds, we can find moments of peace and clarity during life’s challenges. This resilience allows us to regroup and strategize, even when everything around us feels chaotic. Stay in the bathroom 5 extra minutes, breathe in peace and breathe out and let go of whatever needs to go.

Inner Strength: The eye represents a core of stability. Similarly, people often discover an inner strength during tough times, enabling them to navigate adversity with courage. This resilience helps them remain focused and determined, despite external pressures. We never know our strength unless tested… but don’t try this with chocolate.

Temporary Relief: When in the eye, we experience a brief respite before the storm resumes. This mirrors how we may find temporary relief amid struggles, using these moments to recharge and prepare for the next phase of their journey, showcasing our ability to endure and adapt. If the power is out and its too hot… go out to the movies.

Perspective Shift: Being in the eye allows for a unique vantage point, highlighting the contrasts between the calm and the storm. This can symbolize how resilience fosters a broader perspective on life’s challenges, enabling individuals to see beyond immediate difficulties and appreciate growth opportunities. This too shall pass… everything does.

Rebuilding After the Storm: The passage through a hurricane leads to rebuilding. In life, resilience is about not just surviving hardships but also emerging stronger and more capable, much like communities that rebuild and thrive after experiencing the destruction of a storm. And along with rebuilding, we get to redecorate ;)

When life again feels overwhelming, perhaps you will be reminded of my hurricane story and find respite and resolve, and hopefully a bit of appreciation and humor, in the eye of life’s hurricanes. ❤️

We are all in this together, Susan and Mike

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