I have shed many tears this month.
Some because of grief.
Every story I read about the Humbolt accident makes me well up again. Mike patted himself on the back when I cried after reading the column he wrote last week.
My longtime farm dog was also put down last week and my pillowcase was damp for a few nights over the passing of my loyal friend who put up with me through my teenage years.
Some tears were from anger and frustration with the world.
Why do those people have to be so pig headed in their beliefs? Why do people murder each other? Why do leaders argue instead of working together? Why do communications people tell the experts that they aren’t allowed to talk to the media? Why do car accidents happen? Why do people get attacked with chemicals?
So many horrible things where it is people and their choices that make the world a difficult place to live, love and work.
But, thankfully, some of the tears have been joyful.
I am a happy crier. Every time I see a video of a person screaming in excitement because they got their very own puppy, I can’t help but tear up.
This weekend I participated in the Strathcona Regional District’s Quadra evacuation practice drill.
The emergency program coordinator asked me to be a nosy journalist and try to cause a rukus so that his volunteers could practice dealing with the media, as they would have to in the case of a real emergency.
I must say I’m not the best at being pushy but I showed up and asked questions and took some photos, so that is better than nothing.
As I was driving to ferry terminal to watch as the volunteer evacuees boarded a bus, I teared up.
What a fantastic place we live in that there are people volunteering to practice responding to an emergency.
There were crews of people in at least five different locations pretending to be responding to an emergency and they are the same people who will put on their bright coloured vests when the real thing happens.
Firefighters, bus drivers, ferry staff, residents of Quadra Island, Campbell River Emergency Support Services and more all spent their beautiful Sunday preparing for the worst of the worst.
It is probably because it has been such an emotional month that I started crying, but tears of gratefulness are different than tears of sorrow.
I cry when I lose faith in humanity and I cry when my faith in humanity is restored. It can be exhausting but at the end of the day I feel connected with my community and that’s what counts.