Can We Prepare for This?
I've written periodically about peoples' tendency to deny the necessity of preparing for disasters such as hurricanes. They belatedly rush to the store to get supplies, only to see that the shelves are empty. But these people are denying the necessity of preparing for known, anticipated disasters.
Unanticipated Disasters
We now learn about the dangers of unanticipated disasters. A case in point is the recent hurricane that demolished towns in North Carolina. Asheville, N.C., is a town that had previously been viewed as a "climate haven" because its high elevation resulted in cooler-than-normal temperatures and its distance from the coast seemed to mean that it wouldn't be adversely effected by hurricanes. But its residents, and those of nearby towns similarly affected, were shocked by the intensity of the disaster and the rapidity of its onset. Water and mud poured down the mountains, knocking over trees, overturning a railroad car, and demolishing homes and roads, "Bam! Bam! Bam!..like dominoes," said one observer.
And their Suddenness
You may have read about the tragedy that occurred in Marshall, N.C., about half an hour from Asheville. A man who refused help to leave his trailer home was standing in the doorway watching the river and the next instant he, and the whole trailer, were flung into the river. He clung to a tree in the middle of the river for several hours but perished.
We are told that global warming is causing the increasing intensity of rainfall, like that which Asheville and the surrounding towns experienced; and that many areas of our country (and beyond) are vulnerable to this new threat. And, of course, there are other threats, such as wildfires. One fire, several years ago in Santa Rosa, CA, killed a number of people when it came in the middle of the night, while they were asleep. Another sudden, unanticipated disaster.
Preparing Now Means Imagining the Unanticipated
Here in California, where I live, there are intense wildfires; but there have been none in my area and it seems to me unlikely that there would be one in my neighborhood. Nevertheless, several years ago, after reading about a couple in another location who, unable to evacuate from a fire, jumped into their pool with hollow steel pipes with which to breathe; I was inspired to get such a pipe for myself...just in case. In the unlikely event that there came a fire from which I could not evacuate, I would jump into our apartment's pool...with my pipe.
My Inner Guide led me to get that pipe, but now, with unanticipated dangers that might occur, she has led me to realize that I must do more. Thanks to her, it has now dawned on me that, because I live on a dead-end street that has many apartment buildings, evacuation would be compromised. If a sudden escape became necessary, there would be a massive traffic jam and we probably wouldn't get out (like the people in Paradise, CA, who burned to death in 2018 because of the traffic jam on the one road that would have led to safety).
And More Unanticipated Problems
What's more, there's a creek where our street meets a main thoroughfare; and if that creek flooded, we would be stuck. My new solution: if necessary, to evacuate before we are told to do so. If we have an unusually heavy rain, I will know that the creek might flood (though it never has before) and I will evacuate before it's too late. (And suggest to my apartment manager that she and the other apartment managers create a staggered system of evacuation to avoid the traffic jam that would otherwise result.)
Dealing with Denial
As I said above, there are people who deny the necessity of preparing for anticipated disasters. It is much easier to deny the existence of unanticipated disasters because they seem more unlikely.
Imagine being suddenly swept from standing in your doorway to being flung into the river. Imagine sleeping peacefully in your bed and suddenly being surrounded by fire. Imagine having to jump in your pool with a pipe! Ridiculous? Yet...it's better to have that pipe, just in case.
The Inner Guide
The way to prepare for the unanticipated is to imagine those possibilities. Your Inner Guide will enable you to do that, and it will help you with whatever preparations you need to make.
If you don't yet have an Inner Guide, you can get one, for free, here:
