Hurricane Havoc

On the East Coast, the big news this past weekend was Hurricane Irene. You couldn’t go far on any of the local news sources without getting the latest blow-by-blow about the weather. Surfers exit water post-storm.

No doubt, this is good to an extent. Here in Rhode Island, over 600 people died in the hurricane of 1938, mostly because the storm took the area completely by surprise. There were no early warning systems in those days. Yet even with early warning, one need only look at the devastation of Hurrican Katrina to see that sometimes extenuating circumstances wipe out any precautions one can take. 

On my street, we lost cable and Internet early on in the storm, but we did not lose power. Hundreds of thousands of other homes in southern New England were not so fortunate, and for many of them, the power is still out. People are getting mighty cranky.

Most of all, what this storm reminded us was that you prepare as much as possible, then sit back and see what happens. Nature is a bigger force than any of us.

We took a ride down to the beach early in the morning after the storm, and the waves were still furiously pounding at the shore—this almost 24 hours after the worst had passed. The surfers were having a field day in the roiling waters, and groups of people walked along, watching the waves and enjoying the blustery winds.

We’ve been picking up the fallen branches and leaves from the backyard for the past few days, and cutting down some of the smaller shrubs that fell, like the butterfly bushes. The twigs went in a pile by the fire pit; they will make good kindling on the cool fall nights to come. 

Serious storms and destructive weather seem to be more and more a part of our world these days. Sometimes all we can do is simply pray and get out of the way. 

Photos: M.C. Kendzia

Mary Carol Kendzia is a product development director at St. Anthony Messenger Press. She lives in Rhode Island where she is able to occasionally dip her toes into the Atlantic and reflect on the mysteries of life, among other things. blog comments powered by

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Hurricane Irene update: Significant threats, even with Category 1

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‘Two Sparrows in a Hurricane’

My husband and his siblings are flying high after celebrating their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary recently. Not every married couple makes it to this significant milestone, and most of our family honestly didn’t think they’d make it to this celebration.

When a couple marries and vows to be true to each other “in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health,” the real challenges of the future often seem too far away to even be possible. Life became more challenging for my in-laws when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) at age 36.

Her husband and their four children watched helplessly as her independence was stolen from her by this dreadful disease. My husband tells stories of her spirit and intelligence, ghosts of which I’ve witnessed since joining the family over 20 years ago.

As she surrendered her canes for a walker, then a manual wheelchair and later an electric wheelchair, her family worked to accomodate her changing needs. She was cared for at home until this, even with hired help, put too much strain on his health.

She’s lived in a healthcare facility for over five years while he, still living at home, spends nearly every day with her. Frequent infections and sepsis, accompanied by high fevers, have nearly taken her life more than once.

He has his own health issues. While he’s had frequent bronchitis and been in respiratory distress multiple times in the past several years due to COPD, his diagnosis with terminal cancer a year ago made this celebration all the more poignant and memorable.

Our daughter played the guitar and sang “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane” in tribute to her grandparents at the anniversary celebration. Some of the lyrics that are particularly fitting are “The clouds are dark and the wind is high, but they can see the other side” and “It’s just a matter of time, they’ll spread their wings and fly.”

No person knows on their wedding day how long he or she may live, nor can any couple anticipate the highs and lows ahead. That’s why the decision to love is so important. When the heady days of early romance are past, the commitment a couple has made to each other holds them together so that their love can mature and endure.

Jim and Susan Vogt write:

The three most important things to keep a marriage healthy are commitment, commitment and commitment. —Every Day Catholic, February 2008

I’m thankful for the witness of my in-laws and other couples like them who show me that it’s possible to commit one’s life to another—and follow through on that commitment. Has their journey been trouble-free? No. Is anyone’s? No. Is it worth the effort? Yes!

Please share your insights and experiences:

Who has been a model of commitment in your life?When have you made a decision to love (when you didn’t feel so loving)?

Featured photo: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Joan has served in many capacities in her 13+ years with St. Anthony Messenger Press. She is currently the editor of "Every Day Catholic," a monthly publication for adult faith formation of individuals and small groups. She also draws on her years as a parish catechetical leader in her “Seen and Heard” column for the monthly e-newsletter "Faith Formation Update." She is married and is raising a teenage daughter. blog comments powered by

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