When I opened my eyes this morning, I was frantic to see a text from my sister Michelle, in Florida, letting us know she’s alright. But there is no text. We texted all day on a family thread into the night last night, but that’s where it ended. Based on my quick search of the interwebs this morning, I’m sure she’s without power.
I’m trusting she’s otherwise completely fine.
I read a stat that 75% of Floridians are without power this morning. If they slept at all, they’re waking up to the darkness. It was only a week ago, that their church in Orlando loaded a giant semi and drove to Houston to bring supplies to their brothers and sisters in need. Oh how the tables have turned. All those affected by Harvey are long from getting back on their feet and now Irma has left her mark.
When the storms, fires and floods are raging all around us, it’s natural to feel fear.
It makes sense to feel helpless, like there’s nothing you can do or give to make it better. It feels like we all know someone in the path who is affected. Even if you don’t know someone personally, the weight is still so heavy because our fellow humans have lost so much. So many people are without shelter and basic needs. As a result, we’re all carrying a little more stress than usual.
The best antidote for that kind of stress from feeling fear and helplessness is remembering that we all belong to each other and showing up with love right where you are.
At our Girls Night Out on Thursday, we took a few minutes collectively, to write letters of hope and encouragement to women in Houston who’ve lost everything. While we wrote, we listened to “Rise Up” by Andra Day together as a reminder that when our sisters feel broken down and tired, all they need is hope and to be reminded that they are not alone. That we have each other.
“We’ll rise up, high like the waves, in spite of the ache.”
As they looked within and put themselves in the shoes of the women in Houston, it was healing for the women in that room to write those letters of hope and encouragement. It brought a sense of strength and hope almost instantly inside that room. And I guarantee you – that same strength and hope will be felt by our Houston sisters when, one by one, they open those letters.
It’s healing for everyone when we show up to love each other.
When you feel helpless and afraid, rise up, with a little more love.
to more love,
Crystal
P.S. By way of an update, before I finished this note, I’ve learned that my sister Michelle is safe and has power! So grateful.
