How To Survive A Flood

The other day as I took a break from hauling my flood-soaked belonging from my basement, I took 15 minutes to watch these sweet mama and papa robins literally feather their nest. I was so weary — sweaty, overwhelmed, discouraged, sad — and that moment was EVERYTHING to me.

Still is, days later.

On my street, not only did basements flood, be we had a good 18 inches around the house, too. Floods like that leave lots of debris. There are sticks and mulch and grass clippings pilled up all over the place.

The perfect ingredients for our sweet mama and papa robins’ nest. She would put some grass or a leaf in, then sit in the nest and wiggle. Turn 20 degrees, sit and wiggle. All the way around.

It may have been silly, but in that moment, as I watched those sweet birds make their nest with the devastation from the flood, I felt peace. I felt like it was going to be ok. Painful, exhausting, freaking expensive … but ok.

I am convinced now more than ever, that peace comes from within. It comes when we return to our breath. It comes when we practice gratitude. It comes when we feel our feelings rather than bottling them up. It comes when our identity is built on things not made of possession or achievement. It comes when we understand that we are a beautiful piece of a greater whole.

And, would you believe it, of the 1% of belongings saved from the flood in my basement, was a robin’s nest.