Working at The Speed of Light
It's been a while since I've posted. Between life, work, being on a course in the middle of everything, running back and forth to the house and travelling for TEDWomen and other clients, it's been a non-stop roller coaster. But every time I walk into the house, whether it's a few times in a day or a few days, the difference is dramatic!
Everything is wrapped up and protected — walls, floors, stairs — the works! The roof has been removed, fixed, reinforced and protected, waiting for the roofer to come and do their thing once the siding goes on. It's like a puzzle. You can't do the roof until the siding is done and you can't do the siding until the flashing is done (I think I have that right). Bottom line is, I'm glad Barry knows the order of things because it makes a huge difference.
I know I mentioned this in my last post but each and every worker that's on the job is so considerate and very good at what they do! The kitchen is a mess right now, but I'm imagining a time when I can be back in there, surrounded by the people I love and cooking up a storm again. I miss my cookbooks and the space I had there. It's going to be hard looking out the window at nothingness when there used to be the beauty of the trees, some flowering in the spring. I'm going to miss the squirrels feasting on the crab apple tree to the point where the branches almost touched the ground with their weight as they munched away.
Until the tornado, I hadn't really worked with our local police force. I've worked with police in the US and abroad but in Canada it's mostly at the Federal and Military level. It was an eye opener to see our local cops in action day in and day out. I had just started a certification on Crisis Intervention Management for Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) just before the tornado and had to defer it to the next semester as there was no way I could do it properly in the middle of everything that was happening, but I'm back in it now. It's amazing how much deeper my understanding goes when we're discussing traumatic crisis events and how to support Law Enforcement Officers in the middle of it. I believe I do so much instinctively but now I can bring a whole lot more to the table in the middle of crises of all kinds and help myself in new ways as well.
Being on both sides of the conversation, having been impacted by a tornado and a being a cancer patient which is traumatic in another way, and working with others who have experienced crises and trauma, I can see the gaps that exist post trauma.
Every day brings the unexpected. In some ways it's like viewing your life through a third person as I feel numb in many ways— still emotional, especially when I walk into the house and definitely into my kitchen. That is worrisome as I've always dived into life with both feet and I seem to have run out of energy. So I'm painting more, immersing myself in the day to day so I don't think of what's missing. I have to remember what I'm blessed with which balances the rest.
In the wake of a tornado or other disaster, people are there asking if and how they can help. But 2 - 3 or so months down the road when so many experience despair and depression because things seem to move so slowly, the feeling of being displaced, not to mention roadblocks and red tape and paperwork every step of the way, is when they'll need you even more. That's the hardest time. Add to that the cold and dark winter days and upcoming holidays and it's even more difficult to handle. It'll be a long while before it's life as usual again, if it'll ever be really.
Just as we tell LEOs post critical incident, share and share often. Don't bear the burden yourselves. Bring in your family, friends, those who care so you can vent and do whatever you have to do to stay healthy, emotionally and physically.
I had a great conversation with one of the workmen before he left for the day. Every person has a story that's fascinating to hear. Not always easy to hear but fascinating all the same. Whether it's the cop on the corner or someone putting our broken house back together, they all have lives too and are doing their best to help us with ours.
There are some good people out there and some who will disappoint. Such is life. Just know, there's always someone there for you so you're not alone if you look for them. And if you're at a loss, reach out to someone else and hear more about who they are. It'll make all the difference in the world to you both.
Everything is wrapped up and protected — walls, floors, stairs — the works! The roof has been removed, fixed, reinforced and protected, waiting for the roofer to come and do their thing once the siding goes on. It's like a puzzle. You can't do the roof until the siding is done and you can't do the siding until the flashing is done (I think I have that right). Bottom line is, I'm glad Barry knows the order of things because it makes a huge difference.
I know I mentioned this in my last post but each and every worker that's on the job is so considerate and very good at what they do! The kitchen is a mess right now, but I'm imagining a time when I can be back in there, surrounded by the people I love and cooking up a storm again. I miss my cookbooks and the space I had there. It's going to be hard looking out the window at nothingness when there used to be the beauty of the trees, some flowering in the spring. I'm going to miss the squirrels feasting on the crab apple tree to the point where the branches almost touched the ground with their weight as they munched away.
Until the tornado, I hadn't really worked with our local police force. I've worked with police in the US and abroad but in Canada it's mostly at the Federal and Military level. It was an eye opener to see our local cops in action day in and day out. I had just started a certification on Crisis Intervention Management for Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) just before the tornado and had to defer it to the next semester as there was no way I could do it properly in the middle of everything that was happening, but I'm back in it now. It's amazing how much deeper my understanding goes when we're discussing traumatic crisis events and how to support Law Enforcement Officers in the middle of it. I believe I do so much instinctively but now I can bring a whole lot more to the table in the middle of crises of all kinds and help myself in new ways as well.
Being on both sides of the conversation, having been impacted by a tornado and a being a cancer patient which is traumatic in another way, and working with others who have experienced crises and trauma, I can see the gaps that exist post trauma.
Every day brings the unexpected. In some ways it's like viewing your life through a third person as I feel numb in many ways— still emotional, especially when I walk into the house and definitely into my kitchen. That is worrisome as I've always dived into life with both feet and I seem to have run out of energy. So I'm painting more, immersing myself in the day to day so I don't think of what's missing. I have to remember what I'm blessed with which balances the rest.
In the wake of a tornado or other disaster, people are there asking if and how they can help. But 2 - 3 or so months down the road when so many experience despair and depression because things seem to move so slowly, the feeling of being displaced, not to mention roadblocks and red tape and paperwork every step of the way, is when they'll need you even more. That's the hardest time. Add to that the cold and dark winter days and upcoming holidays and it's even more difficult to handle. It'll be a long while before it's life as usual again, if it'll ever be really.
Just as we tell LEOs post critical incident, share and share often. Don't bear the burden yourselves. Bring in your family, friends, those who care so you can vent and do whatever you have to do to stay healthy, emotionally and physically.
I had a great conversation with one of the workmen before he left for the day. Every person has a story that's fascinating to hear. Not always easy to hear but fascinating all the same. Whether it's the cop on the corner or someone putting our broken house back together, they all have lives too and are doing their best to help us with ours.
There are some good people out there and some who will disappoint. Such is life. Just know, there's always someone there for you so you're not alone if you look for them. And if you're at a loss, reach out to someone else and hear more about who they are. It'll make all the difference in the world to you both.
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