The Wind

When you think of wind, what memories or feelings does it evoke within you? What places, smells, sounds, or sensations come to mind? For me it evokes a sense of intense energy, electrifying, disturbed and yet renewed and refreshing. It speaks to me of change, as well as how the wind can flow within all of our senses… everything is carried on the wind; sound (try telling a secret on a canoe and notice if your friends hear you!), scent (the smell of cherry blossoms in the spring), taste (the salty air by the ocean) touch upon the skin (like a wintery wind that makes your cheeks burn).

When I lived on the west coast, I remember being drawn to walking to the beach during a storm. Watching the waves crash against the shore, rain pelting down, the intense energy of the wind and the rain was invigorating. All bundled up, leaning into it, sometimes stumbling as if drunk from the intensity – maybe drunk on the sheer force of it! The power generated is both awesome and terrifying. I certainly was glad to be on shore and not on the sea! When my brother was in the navy he told me that he loved when the weather and sea were rough. He was a signalman and so was above deck. He said while he was up there loving life, some of his fellow shipmates, I suppose the engineers, were below deck in agony, sick and definitely not enjoying the experience.

When I first moved inland to the mountains it was not often windy. We’d have breezy days but it was pretty gentle overall. In the last year that we were there, the wind storms seemed to pick up in intensity and there were a few times where trees were uprooted on our property and down the valley. One recent storm this winter was tornado like. Along the river, on the rail trail, we counted 12 trees down within a short distance.

We lived in a tiny house on our property and slept in a loft. Our noses about 5 feet from the roof. One night shortly before we moved, we were woken up to the sound like a train or jet engine. The house shook and we lay still quietly praying that a tree would not fall on our home. I was happy when our cat Gracie came to lay between us – my terrified mind thought - well at least we’ll all go together!

Additionally every time that the wind blew in the mountains the power would go out – trees falling on lines. When there was the least bit of wind picking up, I’d run around filling jugs with water just in case so that we could flush toilets and have water to drink (we had well water).

Morning came, the wind died down and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Gracie, oblivious to the nighttime drama, just wanted her breakfast.

Now here we are on the east coast. Back to the ocean, wide open skies, rolling hills. It is very windy here and we can see the devastation from Hurricane Fiona through all the fallen trees. The winds reached over 200 km an hour – sustained for 24 hours. I’ve asked people about their experiences of living through that storm, to hear their stories gives me shivers! How are any houses still standing, especially some of these old coastal cottages.

Since we’ve been living here these past few months there have been a succession of storms – initially with snow and ice and now heavy rain – all with wind. We knew we were moving to a windy province – how can it not be, it’s very flat and by the ocean! The sound of the wind whips around the house – it was blowing all last night and it’s still blowing as I write this post. Here, it isn’t terrifying as we do not have any trees overhead. I’ve been told the power does go out here but so far, I’ve been impressed that it hasn’t – considering the force of the winds on almost a daily basis! Once again, here on this beautiful coastal island, I realize I am able to be with the wind and enjoy the force of it without the thoughts of impending death.

Sometimes I think we forget that we're part of nature too. We spend our days seeking comfort inside insulated houses, office buildings, driving around in climate-controlled vehicles, barely noticing the weather unless it's really dramatic.

And yet, the body still responds to nature. We can’t help it, even if we are not consciously aware of it, it just does.

Many of us notice that we can’t sleep during a full moon, we’re brighter and happier on sunny days or a little down during long stretches of grey weather.

The wind may be another example.

I wonder sometimes if the agitation I sometimes feel on windy days is really caused by the wind. Or does the wind simply reveal what is already there? Perhaps it stirs thoughts and feelings that were sitting quietly beneath the surface.

Perhaps this is why the wind affects people so differently. My brother stood on the deck of a naval ship feeling exhilarated while others below deck were miserable. I have walked beaches during storms feeling alive and invigorated yet lain awake in a tiny loft beneath towering pines, terrified by the very same force. The wind itself had not changed. What changed was my relationship to it. When I felt safe and grounded, the wind felt energizing. When I felt vulnerable, it felt threatening.

It strikes me that I began one chapter of my life by the ocean and somehow have come full circle. Looking back, the west coast felt like adventure. Wild and windy beaches, crashing waves, and a life that was still unfolding. The mountains that followed quickly became home. The valley is where I put down roots. It is where we built our tiny house and a thriving vacation rental business. We created an abundant, beautiful garden and shared the land with a young farmer. It is where I made deep and lasting friendships. It was where I was building a space where we thought we might stay forever. It was also a place to hide-out during a period when the world entered a chaotic time.

And so my wanderings took me to the west, then to the mountains and now to the east. Full circle - here, once more I find myself living by the sea. But - the ocean is different here, the storms are different, and I am different too.

Perhaps the wind itself is neither good nor bad. It can uproot trees, churn oceans, scatter seeds, carry birds across great distances, or it can cool our skin on a hot summer day. It is simply movement.

And perhaps that is why it captures my attention. Wind reminds me that nothing remains still forever. Seasons change. Landscapes change. Homes change. We change.

The movement outside finds an echo inside.

How are you in the wind?

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