breathe a little easier

Kate,let me in on it!  What the hell is gonna happen to Vancouver in April?;) Neil

read the article I linked to above. it sounds like they are saying that the next big one could happen then. eek!

The article says scientists predict the next window of episodic tremors (and increased risk) is next April - not that the big one is really coming next time.

In the event of a big quake, what about the homeless and those without vehicles (including families with small children) who can't get out of Vancouver?  Do we just leave them (and our emergency services teams, presumably) to fend for themselves? What happens then to our community?  Are those of us with means to simply fend for ourselves and tell our neighbours, "good luck"?  

I have been thinking this weekend that no matter how bad it would get for some of us, there are those for whom in our community - those who live in substandard housing or have no housing or possessions at all - the results of a quake would be infinitely worse.

i guess my fear was reading that article more than my logic.

I hear you. Between global warming, the earthquake warning and the crap of daily life, I'm a mess!

every little bump in the night had me practially sitting up. I had a glass of water beside me all evening and each time I thought 'the big one was coming' i would look at the water to see if it was shaking. I just don't trust my judgement when fear is in the drivers seat.  what a way to live?

There comes a point when the fear gets so intense that, if you are lucky, you can enter the eye of the hurricane - so to speak. I was at a friend's house last week and he was going on about the prospective millitary campaign against Iran. We are both Father's and he posed this question AT me: "If the US bomb Iran, it is gonna be nukes, dude. What kind of future is that gonna present  for us, for our kids? What do think? Suddenly the fear was on me. I had smoked a couple of puffs on a doob which made it  a lot worse (I am Englishman and do not have the Canadian constitution for weed.) My heart was pounding: I got a vision of a world spinning off kilter in a huge chain of explosions. I though about my two boys. Radiation. Sickness. Violence. Darkness. Then, in the core of my being, a very soft voice said: Breathe. Make yourself the beacon of love you want to see in the world. Right now. This second. There is no future. None to speak of. Just love, now. Yes, you are afraid right now. Love yourself enough to not want to feel this afraid. Give yourself a break. Love you friend enough to want to put your hand on his shoulder. Look into his eyes. Smile. I gave a truthful answer to his question.I said quietly. "Probably for the first time in my life, I really do not know what to think. I just feel love. I don't know what is going to happen with the world. We may all die horribly. I really, really hope not. Still, the thought of that scenario too heavy for me right now." Suddenly I was in a place of perfect peace, where nothing bad could reach me.My guess is that is what enlightenment is like. Actually, I know that is waht it is like.Incidentally, the feeling lasted most of the day. Outlasted the THC. Nevertheless, slowly, the egoic voices returned.As I write the fear is here. Again. All the doubt. The bad stuff. But the thing is, I have an inner conviction that I want to do something about the negativity. To keep working on it. Right now.I love you both. I love me. I am going to try my best not to be frightened.I know you are both working on feeling the same.We'll get there.