The Calm Before The Storm

Growing up in Eastern North Carolina, hurricane season was always a strange time of year. It was always a pretty safe bet that each year at least one or two hurricanes would make their way up here and dump a ton of rain and some decent winds on us. Some years we were lucky and got the edge of the mess. Other years, I remember the eye passing directly over us. Either way, preparation was key.

The strangest thing was, the calmness of it all. My parents grew up in the area too so to all of us, every summer/fall meant hurricanes. If we lucked out one year then yay, but that was rare. Everyone just knew it was coming and what needed to be done to get ready. No panic, no chaos, just a little preparation and patience.

As an adult, whenever a storm is coming I see everyone whipped into an immediate panic. Grocery stores are wiped clean of essentials (toilet paper, water, bread, and Natural Light), gas stations are backed up as people fill up their cars, generators sell like hot cakes, etc. I guess it's all perspective. To me, it's just another big storm but to many (especially those who have moved to ENC) it's terrifying!

It's not a bad thing to be alert and prepared when a hurricane comes, but the key is to not panic. Stop, think, and try to stay calm.