Take nothing for granted

It’s easy to fall into full-time autopilot. Get up in the morning and do the morning rituals then consult your checklist, be it mental, on your phone, or a written list. But the last few days, there’s been rain, a lot of rain. Checklists were forgotten, and for some, life will never be the same.

Sunday, as the rain came down hour after hour, the LA River roared, storm drains were overpowered, hillsides collapsed, and water and mud flowed taking houses and cars with it. It was a devasting few days for so many people as shown in the above Los Angeles Daily News photo.

For others like me, it was an inconvenience. A lot of water, but nothing serious. Advisories said not to go out unless it was an emergency, so errands and grocery shopping had to wait. Yes, I was worried about my weatherworn roof, but fortunately, it held up during the wind and downpours, and my backyard drains kept the water away from my backdoor. My family and friends were safe, my house and car were intact, and I was warm and dry throughout the storm. I was lucky. My neighborhood was lucky.

But it’s not lost on me that it was an in-your-face reminder that we are to take nothing for granted. In the blink of an eye, or one drop of rain too many, life as we know it can vanish. With that at the forefront of my mind on this now sunny day following the storm, please support me in my pledge to stay conscious, mindful, and grateful for my life as it is, and above all else, take nothing and no one for granted.