Deciding What Really Matters
I live in Tampa and as I am typing this we are waiting for a hurricane to pass through. We are as prepared as possible, with lots of sandbags guarding entryways and our stash of hurricane snacks at the ready. (Please forgive my “hurricane brain” as I’m writing this…a real thing!!)
The last few days have been exhausting as we worked tirelessly to prepare. This included a very interesting process I wanted to share with you.
I found myself thinking a lot about what really mattered to me. If something catastrophic happened to my house during this storm, what would I really want to save?
We carried a LOT of things up to our second story in case of flooding, but this process of going up and down the stairs with things that I treasured allowed me to think about each item and have gratitude for it. As I was packing a bag to take with me in a worst case scenario, what did I want to include that I could not live without?
Our Bed & Breakfast is full of valuable and interesting objects, pieces of furniture, and art. As we looked around the house deciding what we needed to move upstairs for safety, it gave me the opportunity to appreciate each item with fresh eyes. That artwork by a beloved friend really IS special to me and adds to the house immensely. A necklace and treasured souvenir from Venice often sits forgotten in a drawer, but today I made sure to tuck it into my suitcase. I would be devastated if it was gone.
Even in the middle of a hugely stressful life event I was happy to find myself thinking of gratitude for the people and possessions that I have in my life. Hopefully by the time you read this we are well past this storm and safe and secure. But as I type this I am grateful for all the beauty and love around me.
Tim Hinton
October 9, 2024
