The Santa Anas are creating havoc. This year they are particularly harsh with gusts between 70-90 MPH. The negative energy being generated is palpable, violent & chaotic.
I have to admit, that first day I was cranky, unsettled & generally unpleasant. But the energy of my emotions felt worse than the stirrings of the winds so I got quiet. The quieter I got the more I could feel the winds & realized how much they serve as a metaphor for how most of us move through life; fast, furious & without forethought of what our words & actions can do.
It was almost comical the amount of stuff we pulled out of our swimming pool that first morning. Floaties we had not yet put away were wadded up in a corner, leaves from the birch tree were thick & layered. Yard decorations were broken. Halloween decorations that were meticulously placed by the kids were askew in the front yard. Trees felled by the winds and cars and homes suffer damage from debris cast about. Later in the day we began to hear of the fires -- Unpredictable chaos.

I could not help but be reminded of the damage we do as individuals when we move recklessly – fast and without thought. It is not a comparison we generally make, but being with a person who speaks or acts without checking their motivation is akin to experiencing the full force of a 70mph wind. It stings and it can do damage.

I believe that we all want to walk away from situations feeling clean & purposeful. When we are conscious of our motivation then we are aware of the effect we are trying to have & we are more likely to be successful. When we charge ahead with high speed, high power and no clarity about our motivation, we frequently end up casting negativity as well as expending a lot of energy uselessly. We become like the Santa Anas moving with no real direction just fast and furious. When the winds die down there is always a lot of clean up to do, a lot of damage to assess & a lot of repairs to be made. The same is true of actions executed without clarity of motive.