The storm

I live in Austin. Last week, a massive winter storm hit Texas and the entire state had no power and water for days! Everyone was affected by this crisis. I noticed some important things about myself and my fellow Austinites as we all went through it:

Storms have a way of bringing families, neighbors and communities together. It was inspiring to see people reaching out to one another with offers of shelter and warmth. Families that had power and heat were opening up their homes to others in need. A mattress store owner opened his shop for homeless people. He was so worried they would die in the frigid temperatures.

During the crisis, I was amazed at how many people wanted to help out. Strangers volunteered to assist people they had never met! Everyone worked together to survive with no power, running water and limited food. In my neighborhood, a plumber offered to make free house calls to fix water pipes, someone had extra drinking water and another person had snow tools.

The storm was so powerful that we lost electricity and supplies. Being in survival mode, I had to remember to ground and breathe so I could stay open and adjust to any new situation. Grounding and centering is the best way to stay calm and focused in a stressful situation. It has the added benefit of keeping you in the present moment so you can listen to your intuition.

There are times when something like a storm hits unexpectedly and your life is completely disrupted. This crisis was a good reminder about what is most important in life: health, safety, community and spiritual connection.