The Eye of the Storm – A Haibun

I have been absent from this blog for the last few days as I was affected by Hurricane Ian here in Sarasota on the West Coast of Florida. He was a monster of a storm and his eye was on us. It was 24 hours of nerve-wracking hell being powerless and watching the damage to our homes and property occur in front of our eyes. We were without power and internet for several days. Many unfortunate souls have it far worse.

We escaped because he chose to come onshore just about 50 miles south of here but we felt his wrath because of the sheer size of the storm. This is not the first time. We have dodged the hurricane bullet on many occasions in the past. Why?

Is Sarasota…blessed? Depending on who you talk to, the answer is yes. There are various Sarasota Indian myths that the lands were blessed by Native Americans to be protected against hurricanes.
Some hold the belief that Sarasota is protected from hurricanes because the Native Americans who first settled here knew that it was safe from the elements. Others believe that they blessed the lands to stay eternally safe from destructive storms and hurricanes. Still others think that it’s an ancient Indian burial ground on the lands of Sarasota that keeps it protected. It’s likely a geographical phenomenon but I like the Indian myth.

The eye of the storm
Staring at us in the face
Blinked and went elsewhere


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Hundreds of thousands of people in Southwest Florida have been devastated by Hurricane Ian. One of the worst in the nation’s history. The news coverage is front and center right now but it will pass quickly as the media pounces on another catastrophic event to report. Meanwhile lives have been changed forever and for some it will be a very long and slow recovery, if at all.