Thursday, November 1, 2012

Pondering with a Purpose--Devastation or Displacement


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This Week's prompt is: Devastation or displacement
I have been most fortunate to never have been through a natural disaster such as was witnessed this weekend on the East Coast.  I have endured some weather related experiences.  As a child blizzards were common in Wyoming--snow so deep and hard that cattle unprotected died.  Then living in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan snow and bitter cold--as low as -40 F.  A couple of years ago in Phoenix we had a hail storm that blew through and caused a couple of million dollars worth of damage, however, I personally didn't suffer.

I was displaced from my home about three years ago, when a pipe broke while I was at work and flooded my house with several inches of water.  I lost a lot of furniture and clothing.  My flooring and interior walls had to be replaced, and the house treated for mold.  The total damage was about $35,000. During the several months it took to repair I lived with my daughter.  This happened just before I retired.  One of the first jobs that I had planned to do was to repaint the interior of the house, so not only did I get new paint, wood flooring, carpet but also the job was done professionally at no cost for me.  So although I was displaced, I certainly wasn't devastated, in fact, it turned out to be a blessing.  I was able to retire with my home in like new condition.

The devastation that wrecked havoc this week reminds me that we never know what tomorrow will bring, so to be thankful for what we have today.

9 comments:

  1. How lucky for you that the damage to your house turned out to be a blessing!

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  2. You were prepared with insurance to cover your home,or if the pipe belonged to the town, their insurance covered it but many on the coast are not insured for what happened to them and the insurance companies will fight NOT to pay. They are not willing to loose all that money. People will have to fight the companies now. That just adds to all the problems - and winter is coming and it's getting cold at night now.
    I'm so glad that it all worked out for you. Really I am. Getting all that work done before you retired was a great blessing and you had someone to live with while the work was being done. We had a tree fall on our house a few ago and we were insured for that so a new roof was paid for--I hope the people on the coast get what they need.
    Yes, be thankful for EVERY DAY WE GET!

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  3. So agree with your last statement.... and Lynn Marie... it does not seem quite right that people pay insurance and then don't reap the benefits of having it!

    Thanks for Pondering with me!

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  4. I am glad you disaster had a happy ending.

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  5. It is a true blessing that you were able to get what you pay in insurance back lots of time we pay & pay & never have to use it but in your case I am happy that you did. I am sad for those who will have to fight with all the loop holes insurances will find to not pay. great post Marti :)

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  6. Totally agree - - we need to count our blessings every day. New follower here.

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  7. Now that is looking at the bright side of things....

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  8. You illustrate well that when bad things happen they can sometimes bring some hidden blessings as well... we have a lovely new roof on our home that we had wanted but couldn't afford until a hail storm damaged the old one and insurance covered the replacement. The silver lining of the cloud. How sweet that you were able to retire with your home all done up and ready to relax and enjoy! I agree totally with your awareness about making every day and every moment count, especially those spent with loved ones. Life is fragile and can change forever in the blink of an eye.

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