My week was spent obsessively watching the news document Hurricane Ian’s progress as it barreled toward the West Coast of Florida.
We live in Tampa, but happened to be in New Jersey for my son’s 50thbirthday celebration. However, family and friends -who also reside in Tampa – WERE there.
The days leading up to and including Ian’s making land fall were filled with anguish and uncertainty. Hoping for the best, we all monitored the storm’s tract, paid attention to storm surge estimates (up to 18 feet) and the opinions of professionals reporting on the amount of rain each community would likely sustain. The meteorologists’ description of the latest lash from Mother Nature: a powerful hurricane, both catastrophic and historic.
Two million people were urged to evacuate.
Ian’s scope: huge.
Ian’s power: just bordering on a Cat 5 hurricane.
Clearly coming Tampa’s way.
But Tampa was spared a direct hit. The projected path hit landfall over 100 miles south of us.
As you read this, Hurricane Ian is battering South Carolina and most probably will continue to wreak mass havoc in the coming days.
Here’s a prayer for those in Ian’s impending path:
God of the heavens: nature and all that You have created are truly awesome. Often, we take these wonders for granted. Teach us to cherish all of your gifts.
Try as we might, we know that we cannot control the oceans, the mountains, the weather. We also firmly believe that ever since the time of Noah, You do not send floods, make the earth shake, or dispatch weather formations, such as hurricanes, as warnings or punishments.
So we ask, as this hurricane approaches land and approaching our brothers and sisters, that You shelter all who will be in its path. Watch over everyone, their loved ones, friends, and fellow people, many of whom are preparing to evacuate. Guard them as they prepare, perhaps to leave their homes again. Give them strength, courage, and resolve to ride out this storm; answer their prayers and ours that they be blessed with goodness and be spared from harm.
Baruch ata Adonai, Elohanu Melech Haolam she kocho u-gevurato maleh olam.
Blessed are You, Source of Life and Nature, whose awesome power and strength fill our world and inspire us to be strong in the face of all of life’s difficulties.
– Rabbi Fred Guttman
And here’s one for those who have already tasted the awesome destructive power of Hurricane Ian:
Gracious God, I pray for the victims of this disaster, Lord, that you would comfort the lives that were spared Lord, and that you would take care of those who perished.
Lord, please bless those who are doing everything they can to help these people and also make sure that things run smoothly in repairing this great nation.
Please help the victims to have patience and also help family members to be reunited. Lord, I pray that you will ensure that the victims do not come under any illnesses from this disaster, and I also pray that they get enough food and clean water and proper shelter.
Lord, please touch the hearts of the world to continue to pray for these people and also to donate whatever they can to help rebuild this wonderful nation.
Lord, only you can make miracles happen and I am asking for one now.
Amen.
– Bridgett of Ontario, CA, adapted from “Hurricane Katrina Prayer”
Please let me know if you were in the path of this horrific hurricane. I’d like to know what you did to “keep calm and carry on.” I’d like to know if, next time (G-d forbid), you would do anything differently.
And finally, so many organizations are seeking donations. Let’s all lend a hand.
Keep Preserving Your Bloom,
Iris Ruth Pastor
PS: A few years back, I wrote a column on “brains and luck” and which was better to have. Back then, I concluded it was better to have LUCK. After the events of the last few days, when Mama Nature was most angry, I still maintain that position. We in the Tampa Bay area were extremely lucky – this is the second near-miss in a few short years – and we are truly grateful for our good fortune.