Yesterday a light bulb went off in my life. I have been just plodding along learning to live alone, happily as a senior on a limited income. I have a few health issues, as most of us do, and I have been able to keep them at bay. Yesterday, however, caused me a great panic.
I got up at 6AM, turned on the TV, and all hell broke loose. A hurricane was coming. Not soon, and not even in my area, necessarily. Now, I have lived through several hurricanes and even more tornados, and they do not scare me. What caused my panic?
Simple. I am alone-totally alone. I have no family and no friends close by who could give me shelter if I needed it. I went into panic mode – a mode I do not usually experience. I realized that no one I have known and even loved over the years is interested in how I am doing.
I have a brother, yes, a younger brother, who only reaches out when he needs his older sister. Last fall when a hurricane appeared to be heading his way in Georgia he called and asked me for shelter if he needed it. He did not come. I have not heard from him since. And I know I will not hear from him if one barrels down on me.
My closest friend, who might welcome me lives in Alexandria, Virginia. And I considered how I could get there if need be. Well, I had just paid all my bills from my SS check i.e., rent, water, electricity, etc. Not much left after that. I did not even have enough gas in my car to drive myself away from harm. As I said, I panicked and experienced several hours of “hell.”
UNTIL, I accepted the fact that I had to solve this – I would have to stay where I was, in my apartment if a hurricane did come here. AS the day, progressed, I realized that I had no one who cared about me or would offer to rescue me in the event I needed it. But as the day passed I realized that many of my neighbors are alone, like I am. I spoke to many of them, during the day, and we decided we would stay put and deal with it. But the difference for me was to realize that I was not alone, really. I had neighbors who were in the “same boat.” I did fill up my gas tank, just in case “we” had to leave and head away from here.
I got up at 6AM, turned on the TV, and all hell broke loose. A hurricane was coming. Not soon, and not even in my area, necessarily. Now, I have lived through several hurricanes and even more tornados, and they do not scare me. What caused my panic?
Simple. I am alone-totally alone. I have no family and no friends close by who could give me shelter if I needed it. I went into panic mode – a mode I do not usually experience. I realized that no one I have known and even loved over the years is interested in how I am doing.
I have a brother, yes, a younger brother, who only reaches out when he needs his older sister. Last fall when a hurricane appeared to be heading his way in Georgia he called and asked me for shelter if he needed it. He did not come. I have not heard from him since. And I know I will not hear from him if one barrels down on me.
My closest friend, who might welcome me lives in Alexandria, Virginia. And I considered how I could get there if need be. Well, I had just paid all my bills from my SS check i.e., rent, water, electricity, etc. Not much left after that. I did not even have enough gas in my car to drive myself away from harm. As I said, I panicked and experienced several hours of “hell.”
UNTIL, I accepted the fact that I had to solve this – I would have to stay where I was, in my apartment if a hurricane did come here. AS the day, progressed, I realized that I had no one who cared about me or would offer to rescue me in the event I needed it. But as the day passed I realized that many of my neighbors are alone, like I am. I spoke to many of them, during the day, and we decided we would stay put and deal with it. But the difference for me was to realize that I was not alone, really. I had neighbors who were in the “same boat.” I did fill up my gas tank, just in case “we” had to leave and head away from here.
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