Moments and dates in life are important to me. Even ones that are filled with heart ache. Two years ago on June 23 we woke to our newly finished basement flooding with water! I am truly grateful that the damage was minimal – meaning it wasn’t the entire depth of the basement and was water not sewage – thank god!
However it was devastating and hit me very hard. So why remember this date? Because its where our family re-grew from. There are lots of moments in life that challenge us, sometimes to the point where we think there is no return, but we rise up to who we need to be and do what we need to do. Sometimes challenges hit us in life to wake us up, to shift the path we are on, to help someone else and when you are enthralled in the moment its even more challenging to look beyond or think ahead.
So there is an opportunity for growth. If anyone tells you that life is perfect, they are lying. Maybe they choose not to be vulnerable and keep their life private, that’s their personal choice. They could also choose not to focus on the negative and rather rise up to what is positive in their life. That is real. The reality is shit happens and how we choose to deal with it will help direct our new path in life, how we will grow from it!
2 years ago this became a real struggle for me. However much like the other challenges Ive faced in my life, I kept trucking through. I honored when I needed to rest and literally do nothing, I honored when my husband needed to do the same. I celebrate and remember today especially because we have literally come full circle and I am so proud of us – all of us – myself, my husband, both our children and our pets. I am proud of us of how we have banded together with understanding and love.
After we completed the basement in March 2017, we got right into doing the kitchen, dining and living room. When the basement flooded my husband had just taken down the plastic tents from removing the popcorn ceiling and just the weekend before, my husband finished installing all the flooring. Thankfully those steps were completed. I am so grateful for that. At the time the old kitchen was very minimal, we had no furniture – literally because we got rid of our old stuff from downstairs and moved he upstairs furniture downstairs – which made the reno’s easier on the main floor and then the basement flooded LOL.
It actually is funny. Seriously if I didn’t laugh I would cry – alot! We were literally starting over with most of our belongings in the basement, which also had more things due to the upstairs reno. It was devastating but then it hit me.
This was the 3rd home we moved to. Much like our previous two homes we knew we wanted to put our touch on it. However we had accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. I am a very sensitive and caring person, so if we or our children were given something I had a very challenging time letting it go. Not to the point of hoarding, however we had a lot of “stuff” that was needing to find a new home. Yes I would have preferred donating it or even having a garage sale, however this literally forced me to offer up the control. I literally had no control over this situation whatsoever. Which was very challenging for me. I was forced to give up all our “stuff” – even some of the sentimental things.
Our family learned how powerful it is to hold value in the moment and memories vs the “stuff” because the “stuff” can be taken from you just like that!
I am proud of us because we have literally come full circle from that day! The basement was completely re-done again and our main floor is all complete giving us the opportunity to now create our own master oasis!
Remember when we used to have actual seasons… I do from my childhood. Winter was winter, all winter without multiple spring breaks and spring was spring, summer was summer and fall well you get the point. Not to be a debbie downer on this frigid cold Saturday morning, but I will be real for a moment… our weather is changing due to things WE as humans CHOOSE to do. You may think, well I’m just one person, or in our family we are “just 4 people”. EVERYONE can make a difference. Choose Clean products… yes even if they “cost” more. Really what amount can you put on your health and life?! Choose to be conscious of your driving habits, the water you use, the products you buy – why are vegetables and fruits now packaged in SO much plastic?! I maybe wont be here in 100 years to enjoy this planet but someone from my family will be. Yes even you as 1 person 🙋♀️ CAN make a difference! First step is choosing 2nd step is ignoring the naysayers, 3rd step is just following through everyday making conscious healthy choices for you and your family!
