Throughout history, humans have endured the unimaginable and unforeseen. Many of those events go by one name. Pompeii. Tunguska. Galveston. Chernobyl.
Indeed, catastrophe predates humans: the Permian-Triassic extinction event, known as the Great Dying, took place 250 million years ago.
Calamity will strike. It always has. It always will. And you won’t see it coming.
How will you respond?
WHEN THE EARTH MOVED
On April 18th, 1906, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California. In San Francisco, more than 3,000 people died, and the ensuing fires destroyed over 80% of the city. To this day, it is the deadliest earthquake in U.S. history.
In the aftermath, what became of the city?
The original street grid was restored.
The University of California, San Francisco and its medical facilities were further developed.
The Market Street subway was built.
The Pacific Heights neighborhood expanded.
Finished in 1933, Coit Tower was dedicated to the volunteer firemen who died in San Francisco’s five major fires.
San Francisco did more than survive the disaster. It grew stronger.
COME BACK TO THE CENTER
Life is going to push you around. Challenges will arrive unexpectedly. The “he said, she said” noise will fill the air and disorient you.
All the meditation and equanimity in the world won’t be enough. Peace in your world will be no more.
And that’s okay.
“Your staff and your guests are always moving your saltshaker off center. That’s their job. It is the job of life. It’s the law of entropy! Until you understand that, you’re going to get pissed off every time someone moves the saltshaker off center. It is not your job to get upset. You just need to understand: that’s what they do. Your job is just to move the shaker back each time and let them know exactly what you stand for. Let them know what excellence looks like to you.”
Come back to your center. Come back to your breath. Come back to what you stand for.
What do you hold dear? What guides you and propels you forward? What is your mission? Come back to that and do not waver.
BEGIN AGAIN
In the aftermath of disaster, we often succumb to despair. We wallow in self-pity. We lament. Why me? Why now?
But know this: a beautiful life awaits you. The world is watching. We all want to see the phoenix rise from the ashes.
What followed the Great Chicago Fire? One of the most iconic skylines in the world. After 9/11? We built the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. In the wake of the 1906 earthquake? We constructed the Palace of Fine Arts.
In the midst of mayhem, we built majesty.
DON’T GIVE UP, DON’T GIVE IN
“I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.”
-D.H. Lawrence, “Self-Pity”
Do not pity yourself. When your saltshaker is moved off of the center, pull it back in. When disaster arrives, accept it. Come back to your breath. Remember what you value and stick with it. Keep showing up.
You will strive for balance and fail. It doesn’t matter.
Begin again. Fail again. Fail better.
love it! thanks for sharing the dharma
Sign me up for the SF walking tour! 🙌🏼