At least we weren’t home when it happened. Of course, that’s both the good news and the bad news.

It’s bad news because we had to cancel most of the week-long trip we had planned. We were out of town, on our way to visit our daughter and celebrate her birthday with her, when we got the phone call telling us a tree had fallen on our house, tearing a hole in the roof. We did a U-turn on the interstate, returned our rental car, and spent the night in the airport before getting on a 6am flight back home.

But it’s good news because if we’d been home, we could easily have been outside doing chores, or pulling into or out of the garage, when the tree came crashing down.

What happened is that the new owners of the lot next door were having the lot cleared so they could build a house. It was a windy day, we’re told, and the wind took hold of a tree and “rerouted” it as the tree cutters were taking it down. The damage is extensive, and will likely take at least several months to repair.

Once we got over the shock of what happened, I immediately started realizing – as I always do when something awful occurs – that it could have been worse in so many ways. And there was actually a lot to be grateful for. The most obvious is that no one was hurt or killed. Also, that the house is still habitable, so we don’t have to move out while repairs are going on.

Something else that always happens whenever a tragedy of any kind occurs, is that it gives me a new perspective on what other people are going through – people who have things much worse than I do. Right now, it’s impossible not to think about the war going on in the Middle East, or the continuing war in Ukraine. Having a tree fall on your house and punching a hole in the roof is nothing compared to having a bomb dropped on your home. Or having to evacuate when you have nowhere to go, and violence all around you as you flee.

Anytime I start feeling sorry for myself for any reason – which, I admit, was the case with this incident – I remind myself of how lucky I really am, in spite of whatever is going on. It also reminds me to count my blessings, and since this is the time of year when it’s traditional to do that anyway, I’ll mention a few of mine. As always, I am grateful for my family and friends. For meaningful activities, and a sense of purpose in my life. I am grateful – and fortunate – that I have food to eat, a warm bed to sleep in, and a roof over my head. Even if it has a big hole in it right now.

November 13, 2023
©Betty Liedtke, 2023

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