Ike.....Destruction and Creation.......

Hurricane Ike: The source of widespread disaster and destruction, while also the creator of many empty bottle moments. ...It displaced millions whose lives will be richer forever
As Empty Bottle Moments relate to difficult circumstances, it’s not just about emptying a bottle with family and friends; rather, it’s about capturing moments — special ones — that improve and enhance our relationships… or just heighten our disposition and position in life.
I hope the following stories will encourage you to open your heart and your mind to the possibilities afforded each of us each day for creating Empty Bottle Moments.
As Ike brewed in the Gulf Coast waters, fellow Houstonians faced a fork in the road: shelter in place or evacuate. Before heading out of town, a friend in my complex dropped off a bag of abundant veggies. A few miles away, another friend made expeditious preparations to stay. Fast forward to the post-Ike scenario seen across Houston and the Gulf Coast: millions without power or water. The thoughtful veggies from one friend provided the conduit for a meal with another friend who was in darkness without power. Our five-hour visit still lingers in my heart.
Across town, two families torn apart for years by perpetual arguments and unresolved discord hunkered down together in a one-bedroom apartment to ride out the storm. Without post-storm electrical power, they played cards and board games, read books together and recall happy times shared. Amid the stillness of a storm now passed, their wounds began to heal.
With many businesses and most schools closed, a single father and his twelve-year old spent many days together. So touched by the opportunity to help her with school assignments for the very first time, he called a radio station to convey, "I am a new father."
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And there are countless stories of singles gathering on the lawns at their complexes and families in the front yards of their neighborhoods to create "community grills" for nightly meals. New friendships were made and existing one strengthened as people congregated for fellowship and support.
Indeed, these are Empty Bottle in the most unusual circumstances.
Our lives should not (and do not) need a Hurricane Ike to create these moments. But when life hands you lemons or, in this case, an Ike, what a blessing if we take away from it the importance of community and the lasting value of creating extraordinary simple moments with our family and friends, as well as our community and city.
May these snapshots in time tap you on the shoulder as a reminder that Empty Bottle Moments abound, even in the most difficult circumstances.