Alarms

Alarm cannot be hushed. So said Habibi’s smoke detector when I burned breakfast, along with Fire. I push the center button, but Alarm cannot be hushed. Pot in the cockpit, hatches open, fans on… finally, the alarm shuts off. I did this in the tiny house a few times too, before I disabled the alarm. Small spaces fill with smoke quickly.

I’ve ignored many alarms in my lifetime, resulting in illness and injury. Got to ignore the training, and stop and listen, the sooner the better. Life is not supposed to be woe and misery. There is always a solution. (I said this to my mother once – there is always a solution — when I was just realizing this truth. She shut her eyes and held her hand up, palm facing me, to stop this nonsense. Life is full of disaster and catastrophe, dontcha know.)

Big storms here, with high winds and tall waves. The harbor master closed the channel, red flags flying for two days and nights. Don’t go out! Danger! Now it’s calmer, fishing charters and party boats back in business.

What I’m working on is figuring out the true from the false alarms. I have been surprised and scared by both. It’s easy to run around with Panic; she has lots of energy. It’s harder to remember to stop, breathe, and meditate. But when I do, that’s when I hear solutions. Thank you, alarm. I am listening.