Let’s put the crazy away for now…

With the common threat of Hurricane Milton bearing down, now is the time to consider the many things that unite us as a community.

We can argue petty politics later.

As Florida faces another major tropical system, I’ve seen several people reach out on social media to report they recently moved to the “Fun Coast” and are experiencing their first Hurricane.

That’s a frightening prospect for many of our new neighbors.

In my experience, if you have a proper family preparedness plan, follow the directives of emergency management officials, stay informed, take caution with generators and power tools, remain inside a substantial structure or evacuate if directed, you can drastically increase your odds of weathering the storm just fine.   

The power of Mother Nature’s magnificently efficient natural processes serves many purposes, and our very survival depends upon them.

We human beings have adapted to natures wrath through advanced technology, scientific forecasting methods, and our well-evolved sense of self-preservation; but every so often, we are reminded in the most extraordinary way that there are some things our “superior” intellect and engineering simply cannot control.

Though we have developed sophisticated insurance and financial systems that allow us to build our homes and sources of income where we probably shouldn’t – and replace them in the exact same spot when we are invariably caught out – the power of nature can be difficult to comprehend when we come face-to-face with it.

As I write this, Hurricane Milton is a strong Category 5 storm, rapidly bearing down on the State of Florida, and everyone in the region should be prepared at this hour.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the devastating floods that have left much of the southeast underwater or worse – with heartbreaking scenes of total devastation in Southern Appalachia and beyond – and Milton churning in the Gulf of Mexico – I’ve heard some ask why? 

A natural meteorological cycle?  Climate Change?  Bad luck?

I don’t know.

What I do know is that while we have harnessed many natural powers, developed complex civilizations and system of governance, split the atom, and even transported ourselves to other planets – we still need the essential elements, seasonal changes, and temperate climates to survive.

Look, I’m not an overly religious sort, but even an unrepentant sinner like me can see that a power greater than all of us has developed a wonderful natural order – systems and patterns that constantly supply us with the fundamental processes necessary to sustain and propagate life on Earth.

Despite our strange desire to kill one another with mindless efficiency and pollute our only environment like a foul bird shitting in its own nest…

Meteorologists tell us that hurricanes are the earth’s air conditioner, efficiently transporting warm air from the mid-latitudes to the colder polar regions.  They also serve to move warmth from the lower levels of the atmosphere vertically, conducting solar heat from the surface into the troposphere, “mixing” the atmosphere, and ensuring a temperate balance and climate.

This natural quest for global thermal equilibrium requires a powerful force to transport all that latent heat produced by the Sun – and that is the exact purpose of these monster storms.

We just happen to get in the way sometimes.

According to scientists, hurricanes also oxygenate seawater, help replenish barrier islands and deposit a massive amount of quantifiable energy into other parts of the globe.  While we can measure it, the purpose of this energy exchange isn’t fully understood.

I suspect it has something to do with Mother Nature’s constant search for balance.

To our physical and financial detriment, when these tropical weather systems interact with land, the human toll can be catastrophic. 

Look, I complain a lot about politics – but trust me – our local and state first responders at all levels, are experienced and well-equipped to deal with the response and recovery phases of this emergency.

Let’s quibble over our differences of opinion later.  Now is the time for unity – and generosity.

When the chips are down, neighbors helping neighbors is what community is all about.

Please continue to follow the directives of emergency management officials – and, most of all – please lend a hand to assist one another whenever possible.

Godspeed and good luck. 

Talk soon,

Mark