Three years ago Hurricane Dorian caused massive damage in the Bahamas before becoming an incredibly intense Post Tropical Storm and wreaking havoc in my home province of PEI. Two days after the storm had passed through, I posted a message in my church's ladies group on Facebook. On the anniversary of this observation, I thought I might share it with you.
Please bear with me, there is a reason for showing you my laundry.
I have been very fortunate. We came through Dorian's rampage with oh-so-little damage. We lost a single tree, and it hit nothing on the way down. I have been thanking God for this ever since. But others were not so fortunate. I am here, hanging out my laundry to dry, with full power and enjoying a beautiful breeze as I go about my day. There is very little evidence from where I am currently standing to suggest that a storm even passed through here, let alone one of the magnitude we just faced. But just turning around shows that others have a longer way to go before they are back to normal, and that is not even close to the worst out there.
I heard a gentle voice remind me that going through the same storm does not automatically mean sustaining the same damage. This is why it is so important to always be kind. You may not be able to see the hurt from where you are, but that does not mean it isn't there. You may have gone through similar circumstances, but that is not a guarantee that another will handle it the same way. You may be enjoying the Son-shine with only the smallest traces of the passage of your storm, but some people will have a longer road to their recovery. Be kind and love like Jesus.
Given everything that has occurred in the world since September of 2019, as well as in my own personal life, I feel it is well worth the reminder. We can go through the same storm as someone else and sustain very different damage. We can't judge how far along another person should be in their journey of recovery, or what it should look like. What we can do, is offer whatever support and grace we can, as we walk alongside them. We can choose to be thankful for the hope that assures us that these storms do not have to define us. We can work together to clear the debris and prepare our hearts for something even greater.
We can choose to be kind, and love like Jesus.
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