by Deborah Hardy

Created on: January 07, 2009

My least favorite of all the seasons is hurricane season. Living in southeast Louisiana, as I have lived all my life, has helped me appreciate the severity of these majestic storms. As a child, I remember my mother making the necessary preparations as the storms approached. "Let's go to the store for our supplies" she would say. First we would go to our local supermarket for canned goods, bread and other dry staples. Then we would head out to the neighborhood five and dime for batteries and candles. While we shopped, she would explain why we needed these things. Of course, the explanation was always the same. "If the electricity goes out we won't be able to use our stove and that's why we need this food" was always her reply. The batteries were for the radio so we could get the latest update on the storm and the candles were for nighttime so we would be able to see. A few hours before the prediction of landfall, she would fill the bathtub with water. "Just in case the water isn't fit to drink" said my mother. Later in life, I realized she meant that if the water became contaminated during the storm we would have clean drinking water. We didn't have much money and my mother wasn't about to waste it on bottled water.

Although, I knew what hurricanes were, the howling wind and the rain tap dancing on the windows while the house shook was enough to frighten anyone. I was terrified of being alone in my room, as a matter of fact, any room in the house. So, I would follow my mother from room to room. I wanted to know that I was safe. I wanted to be protected from the big bad monster outside. My mother knew this without me having to tell her. She would hold my hand, play a game with me or maybe tell me a story. She was protecting me...she was keeping me safe.

I did exactly the same for my own children. The only difference is, I think I was more frighten than my girls were... and they knew this without me having to tell them. We would usually play card games and tell each other stories. We kept each other safe.

My girls are grown and have families of their own. My husband and I have the house to ourselves. I hope this hurricane season is a quite one. But, if one happen to come our way, we will take all the necessary precautions. I will still be frightened and my husband will know this without me having to tell him. He will hold my hand, tell me a story and keep me safe from the big bad monster outside.

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