It’s been over a month since the heavy rain and flood, and many of us are still in the midst of picking up the pieces. Much of the destroyed flooring, walls, appliances, equipment, furniture, clothes, and food have been taken away, and rebuilding and recovery are happening. Some people are displaced and have no home to return to. There’s a lot of sadness for those whose lives are now changed by the flooding, whose financial or residential stability is gone, and who are now trying to readjust. Many of us were luckier and not as affected, not having lost much or having to change our way of living.
Ensure the Culvert: Lessons from the Flood
I get to talk to people each day about their stressors and how they impact their bodies, so I’ve gotten to hear a lot recently. People have shared what happened on their property, what they did during those couple of days to protect it, what they did to help others, and what they plan to do now. I can see some themes, especially surprise about the power of water that we haven’t experienced before. Many culverts were overwhelmed and couldn’t do their jobs in guiding water appropriately. They may have gotten blocked by debris or were forcefully moved from their position or had just too much water for them to carry.
I find my medical mind reflecting on this as similar to the need for fluids to move appropriately in the body. Blood vessels need to be healthy and clear to ensure the circulation of blood. There can be swelling with an accumulation of fluid if an area is inflamed. Lymph moves through the lymphatic vessels and nodes to help rid of waste products. These systems can be injured or overwhelmed or become dysfunctional like the culvert you may have seen on your property. If we have the awareness and power to keep them healthy, it’s worth the effort.
Stay Ahead of it
Many have shared how they spent hours during the heavy rain pumping water from their basements as it came in through small cracks or as their drains were backing up. They had to protect the various systems, appliances, living spaces, or memorabilia that their basements hold. The ground was already saturated before the heavy rain so it came to be too much water than what we’d been prepared for. The sump pumps and Shop-Vacs showed their great value during those days. Some people just had buckets. Many of us are now adding a sump pump after the generator on our shopping lists of home appliances after this past year. This shows the need to stay ahead the best we can in order to not get overwhelmed, whether it’s by water or stress, or by pain. We can often take action to manage any areas of pain in our bodies so that it doesn’t become excessive. And we can also keep ahead of our stressors in various ways, like exercising and taking walks with friends, journaling, and getting regular massage or acupuncture to lessen the impact on the body. Actions or plans can be set in place to prepare for what may likely come in the future.
Patterns Change
This experience has shown that patterns change, even the course of a brook or river before our eyes. We get settled into the flow of our lives and that may need to change for a greater state of health. We may be forced to shift and reorganize our lives because of circumstances. This can surely be a painful part of living but isn’t necessarily unnatural. It was unsettling and sad for me at first but now I feel thankful to have been forced to shed some things in my office as water did some damage. I became so used to my desk being here and my books being there, it feels refreshing to have made some changes.
We Want to Help Each Other
It has been amazing to see the innate, caring human nature come out to show itself on a collective scale. People want to help each other and it is so uplifting. Some were just going into town to help however they could. Even if they didn’t know the business owner, they were just moved to help. A natural disaster happens somewhere in the world many days of the year and if we could see closer, along with the pain, I believe we would encounter the great caring that we’ve seen in our own community.