When we first started contemplating tiny living, we knew we wanted to live on the coast, beside the ocean. Sounds like Heaven, am I right?! It is, until a Hurricane is threatening your little coastal town.
Last week, there were some rumblings about a hurricane maybe hitting the NC coast, but remaining positive, I kept saying it would just fizzle out, like so many do, or perhaps wouldn’t be as big of a deal as people say. No dice. Today, we were told that Big Mamma Jamma, Florence, would be hitting us hard, harder than anything our area has seen since Hurricane Hazel. Hazel came barreling through way before we were born, but I’ve heard about Hazel from our grandparents many times through the years, as well as locals and their families who have lived here for years saying that Hazel destroyed almost everything in this area.
Today, I kept asking the locals about their plans. I figured, we’d just do as the locals do. When the locals started boarding up and packing their belongings to head out of town, saying that they weren’t going to be here when Florence hits, I got chills. We realized today that we may actually lose everything we have… so we’re leaving, with what is most important, our lives.
Ger said it best, “now that we live a minimalist life, having items that provide joy or serve as a function, it makes leaving somewhat easier.” When taking inventory of importance, it is us, and our sweet Betty White, our urns of our three pets who have passed, our bikes that we adore, and some clothes. We’ll be wearing our wedding bands/rings, and jewelry that means a great deal, Ger will have his guitar, and we’ll have a small file of important documents, passports, some photos, and that’s it. Sure, our little tiny house will be in harm’s way, and we will be anxiously awaiting news of whether or not she made it through Florence’s winds and storm surges, but what matters is that we will be inland, and we will have what is most important in our lives, hoping that a few hours inland also remains safe and sound.
With having downsized, dramatically, we realize how quickly we can leave if we need to, and we won’t be so bogged down with regret of leaving a bunch of stuff that doesn’t matter. Insurance exists for a reason. We have it, so if we were to lose everything, insurance can replace the materialistic things in our lives that help us get through day to day–convenient items.
So, for now, we will stay tuned to the live feed on our laptop of the local news and evacuation routes, pack our items, enjoy tomorrow’s undoubtedly beautiful sunrise over the sea, and leave, thinking happy thoughts and praying for our little coastal town to be safe through what comes her way in the next day or so.