Earthquake, Thursday, May 20, 2010

Another earthquake. But, this time was different. Measuring 6.3 on the righter scale might be why it felt different. The bottles fell down, the house rattled loud and the ceiling fan looked like it was going to dislodge from the ceiling…right on top of me.

Usually they strike and everyone gives a giddy little look to the person nearest them as if to say “hee, did you feel that?” This time it was few frozen seconds followed by a very different look. It was a look more like “The house is falling down, this is the big daddy, let’s get the f*ck out of here!”

I was watching TV with Rigo and when the tremor started I gave him the “hee hee” look. My “hee hee” looked was met with his “MOVE IT” look. I think maybe that scared me more than anything. That fraction of a second that turned it into something so real, so instant, so not changeable and so not funny.

I was amazed and grateful at how clear he seemed to be. He grabbed me and our babies, Dell Inspirion and MacBook, and got us all out into the doorway within a blink of my frozen eyes. People outside with the same “holy cow” looks on their faces. All the neighborhood dogs barking and unsure what to do next as well. It’s a confused and shaky feeling to have. And it remains for a bit even once you know the worst is not actually happening to you.

So the temblor stopped. We were safe. But, my brain was still rattling. Thoughts of Haitians and Chileans that didn’t have the simple scare I just had. Wow, really bad things happen to people every day. How lucky am I?

I also thought very quickly of social media. Seriously? Yes. I needed to get on Facebook and fast, to see how everyone is. This is a time when Facebook was my friend. What a blessing to be able to log on and see that nearby friends were there, safe, ready to chat and share. On the flipside, also a bit disappointing that far away friends weren’t on there to write in to see if I was OK. Sometimes Facebook is not your friend I guess.

The most amazing discovery was realizing just how fast the mind works. In a matter of only 15 seconds as the cement floor was cracking beneath my barefoot feet about 100 thoughts flashed through my head. About 92 of them were “my mother’s going to kill me if I die in an earthquake! My mother’s going to kill me if I die in an earthquake, my mother’s going to kill me…!”