I received an email from a co-worker at my old job with the prediction that Hurricane Ike would be slamming into the middle keys as a category 4. I started praying before I went online to the National Hurricane Center and watched Ike’s course for the next few days. I re-lived the powerlessness we all feel when a hurricane is coming our way. I re-lived the powerlessness I felt as Wilma’s flood waters rose and floated our vehicles away, the devastation in our storm-torn town. No one likes to feel powerless so we’ll do anything to maintain the illusion that we can exercise any power at those times. Admitting our powerlessness means we are letting go of control and by letting go of control we set ourselves free. It’s at these times we can choose fear or faith. Hurricanes are a great metaphor for powerlessness. They do what they do. We’re asked to do the footwork and leave the outcome to God. We do our preparations and take responsibility for the actions necessary to keep our families safe.

This dress rehearsal included the Naval Air Station assisting in medical evacuations, Niles transporting hundreds of new cars to safety, the personal preparations necessary to protect our property and finally, evacuating with hope for the best outcome. Most people who’ve lived in the Keys for any length of time accept this sense of powerlessness and surrender to doing the next right thing. Then, we sit back, wait and watch. We are always humbled by the outcome whether the storm decreases and veers away or whether it hits us and we’re left with the aftermath and cleanup. Did going through the struggles of Wilma make us more willing to surrender and accept the reality of our powerlessness? Surrender and acceptance release us from pain. Resistance causes pain. Did the strength we’ve gained give us more faith that no matter what happens, we’ll make it through? It’s    walking through the challenges that make us more spiritually teachable?

Oren Lyon is a Native American “Faithkeeper” for his Onondaga tribe. Following his ancestral tradition, he holds the vision for his tribe. His job is to remember the presence of Spirit when others forget. Let’s designate a Faithkeeper inside of ourselves- one that we can call upon when faced with any obstacles. Since movies are not shot in sequential order, film actors have to deliver emotional lines to empty chairs and fall off of imaginary cliffs into blue screens. Movie directors are the Faithkeepers who hold the vision of how all of the disjointed parts will fit together amidst the sea of chaotic activities and distractions.

Hurricane Wilma taught us that reaching out for and accepting help is a sign of courage. It builds strength and the knowledge that we don’t have to do this alone. All calls for help are prayers. When we’re afraid, we’ve forgotten that Divine Order is always present. Turning to Spirit in prayer affirms our worthiness and builds the muscle of faith which empowers us to co-create with God. In all of my prayers, I visualized Ike’s intensity decreasing as it moved away from the Keys. The candles at the Grotto tell us that others were praying too. We manifest our visions by claiming them and by staying focused on our goal. Every day we are confronted with life’s situations that appear fragmented and impossible. These times are exactly what invite us to step back, close our eyes and hold a vision of the outcome for our highest good. The best attitude to hold in prayer is calm, confident receptivity. Let’s call upon our Faithkeepers within to hold the vision for the best outcomes before they happen and let Spirit be in charge of how the process will unfold.   

Please write to me at sandyislands@hawaii.rr.com and feel free to browse previous articles under publications at www.sandyislands.com.