The house comes tumbling down
My community knows floods. Only three years ago, whole townships and communities went underwater.
But we do not know cyclonic winds that last for hours and hours.
About 6 weeks ago, a short gust, lasting less than 5 minutes, swept through my area and uprooted more than 25 large trees. It was a miracle that no one was hurt.
Now, we are facing worse winds that will rage through days. (Cyclone Alfred is expected to hit us directly tomorrow, Thursday.)
So the unknown looms.
It is both exhilarating and scary.
Exhilarating because I am awe-struck by Mother Nature.
Watching the surf this morning, the massive movement of water, the huge waves, only about half of the size of what they are expected to become, was mesmerising. I could have stayed there all day. Their raw power is astonishing.
The winds have begun, just a little taste of their might.
How can we not fall in supplication to Mother Nature? What fools are we to even contemplate our superiority to her?
Scary because I, like about 4 million people in the area of the storm, have no idea what will happen.
I worry about the birds that come feed most days from my balcony. I worry about my little dog, now in her 13th or 14th year, and deaf, and the terror facing her. And all the animals.
We can only prepare. We fill bathtubs with water. Ensure adequate food. Prepare an evacuation bag. Tie anything that might move down. Clean gutters.
Businesses are moving furniture and closing doors. Sandbags are being filled. My partner has been in a flurry of activity since Monday. His business went underwater three years ago, so they know the drill.
And then we wait. With candles and torches and backup everythings.
It feels very alive. It is entirely emergent. And very Syntropic.
Cyclone Alfred follows no human rules. Alfred will spit out any human rule with no regard or respect.
Our human-constructed systems are, quite literally, a house of cards.
One puff. One puff, and the house comes tumbling down.
Photo March 5th 2025, Article written March 5th 2025
