Chapter 14 The Eye of the Storm 287

SUNDAY FINALLY DAWNED ACROSS the ocean to very choppy seas, and an agitated wind that seemed to ebb and flow into fits of confusion, not quite sure if it wanted to roar or simply whine. Ezekiel had picked up speed and was now scheduled to hit the coast in the late evening as a category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph. The force of this storm was nothing to fool around with. I remembered the destruction Hurricane Charlie had caused last season when it roared off the gulf and slammed into Punta Gordo, Florida and the surrounding areas, devastating everything in its path. It certainly seemed as though hurricanes had increased these last few years as the water temperatures rose, creating an imbalance in Mother Nature. It could be the ever-infamous global warming that environmentalists have warned about, or perhaps, a global storm out of which compassion is born.

As I sat on my upstairs lanai, facing the angry sea, my compassion work ticked off in my head. As the storm hit and shook the area into devastation, it would be creating vast opportunities for healing and growth for not only the earth, but also every living thing that shared this space with her. Sipping my coffee, I so deeply felt the powerful meaning the storm was ushering into my life. I felt much as I had that day in March when I spent quiet time by myself at the Palisades enjoying nature and readying myself to face the wrath of Emily when I returned home. I