What a crazy week it’s been. My heart goes out to the poor folks who have suffered so much due to Hurricane Sandy. Recovery will take a very long time, and for many, life will forever be marked by this terrible storm.
Although it seems so trivial now, I flew out to California last Thursday to attend a conference on diabetes in San Diego. Two of my brothers joined me, and the TCOYD (Take Control Of Your Diabetes) was fantastically good.
In fact, if you or someone you know is affected by diabetes, you should make every effort to attend one of these conferences, held throughout the country on a regular basis. Fun, packed with great information, fellowship and all kinds of break out sessions, it was a great way to spend a Saturday. It had been many years since I was in San Diego, and we lucked out with a beautiful day. Of course, the weather wasn’t as nice on the opposite coast as Hurricane Sandy moved up the Eastern seaboard.
As it turned out, my return flight on Sunday was cancelled, and I got to spend another three days in California before being able to make it back to Maryland. As my family and I sat watching the news throughout those three days, the destruction which took place in the Mid Atlantic states was unbelievable. Those poor people!
On one of the legs of my cross-country trek, I sat next to a grandmother who was returning home after burying her grandson. Twenty-two years old, he took his own life after his second tour of Afghanistan. As she told me, everything else seems trivial when you’re dealing with something like that. During our flight, I watched her out of the corner of my eye flip through family photos on her iphone. I’m sure she was thinking about what might have been, a life lost so young.
On a lighter note, spending those two full extra days with my family was a blessing. I was able to visit with an old high school friend, have lunch with my mom and one of my nephews, enjoy a nice big dinner with a good portion of my family, and lastly take care of some gardening chores for my mom.
On my drive home from the airport, there appeared to be very little hurricane damage in my area. We were hit with a ton of rain, and some parts of Maryland were still without power, but for the most part, it appeared as though we were spared the worst of it.
As I pulled into my driveway, trick-or-treaters were out in force. The beat goes on.
This past week has left me with a lot to reflect upon. The fragility of life was front and center, be it the effects of uncontrolled diabetes, the mental health of our front line soldiers, or the victims of natural disasters.
Even in the worst of situations, we should never lose hope. Not a false hope which can sometimes be proposed by those vying for power, but rather a Hope that will never leave us abandoned, even when all appears lost.
God bless all those who are struggling right now. They need our help and our prayers.
