What My Parents Taught Me About Courage and Resilience

I was going to write something about money and passion and purpose today because my FREE webinar, Unlock Your Money Personality starts in a few hours but what I am actually going to write about is courage, resilience and gifts that come in crappy packages.

As I start writing this, it’s actually a few days before Hurricane Irma is about to hit the coast of Florida. It’s not even clear if it will even hit although that seems to be the most likely scenario.

My parents live on the coast in Southern Florida, about a block from the water in a house they just finished building three months ago.

They poured their life savings and their hearts into this home.

And yesterday, they hurricane-proofed what they could in the house, packed their essential belongings and fled with their dog, Cutie.

Destination: Chicago, where they lived for over 35 years before moving to the Sunshine State.

Normally it’s a 20 hour drive to Chicago but with traffic inching along as many people rushed to evacuate Florida, it took them about 52 hours.

My 78-year old dad had open heart surgery and a stroke a couple of months ago. He is on a gazillion medications, doesn’t see well and can’t drive.

My mom drove the whole way.

There were no more hotel rooms and even the rest areas were completely overflowed with fleeing vacationers and Floridians.

The first day, my mom drove for 15 hours straight until 4:30 am when they could finally find a spot to park and sleep for a few hours in the car. In a McDonalds parking lot.

I was beside myself as I worried about my parents and felt terrible that I couldn’t do anything to help.

I looked into flights but there was no way I could get anywhere close to them.

This is when it’s tough to live a continent away from those I love.

When I talked to my parents from the road, they said, “It’s a road trip. It’ll be great to see friends in Chicago!”

I know they were exhausted, stressed and extremely worried about what will happen to my aunt and their friends in Florida, who chose to stay, and to the house they poured so much love and resources into.

And I was also so struck and humbled by their courage, tenacity and resilience!

That, even at their age and with my dad’s serious health issues, they could pack up their lives in less than 12 hours and drive off to safety and friendship.

I shouldn’t be surprised.

38 years ago, they left their life in the Soviet Union for the American Dream – with a suitcase each, no money and a young daughter to feed.

It’s funny how gifts come from the crappiest circumstances.

Hurricane Irma has brought so much loss and devastation to so many. And it will continue to do so over the upcoming days.

Yet it also gave me the gift of seeing the strength, determination and resilience of the people who made me.

The people who today, I’m so proud to call my parents.

So what about you, when have you been humbled by courage and resilience? Leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!

xoxo,
Natalie

P.S.  If you’re interested in creating more financial abundance in your life, sign up for my FREE webinar, Unlock Your Money Personality here. It starts at 1 pm EST today!