Three weeks after Helene unleashed her wrath on southern Appalachia, it feels like everything has changed. Our lives, our landscapes, the people and places that are near and dear to our hearts – all were swept up by the churning flood, categorically dismantled, emerging almost unrecognizable from the receding waters. Streams have shifted, mountainsides have moved, and it will take years for our beloved communities to sift through the physical and emotional debris left scattered throughout, to grieve their losses.
Grief is a powerful and complex emotion to which everyone responds differently, but experts agree it presents itself in five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It’s true. Days after the storm, we still could not accept the reality of the devastation. We sought to make sense of it, grasping at the climate, the government, our friends and family for a plausible explanation. We’ve bargained with our past selves, imploring in hindsight if we could have done something differently or recognized the impending signs. We are hollow and numb, stricken with depression’s characteristic guilt. How do we come to terms with this new reality? Acceptance almost feels selfish, but we must remember that to move forward does not mean to forget. Rather, ‘acceptance’ means focusing our energy on celebrating the moments and memories that define our people and communities. ‘Acceptance’ means learning from the successes of our past projects and analyzing emerging data to inform and guide the reconstruction process.
Since the storm, we have heard from most of our valued clients, partners and friends and we are relieved that you have made it through this disaster. Just like you, some of our staff have fared better than others but we are all okay and feel lucky to be alive and well. Following the storm we have been busy volunteering, helping to stabilize our coworkers, neighbors, and communities, and are now transitioning back to work. We expect it to take a few weeks to get back to full speed, so if we are working on a project with you, we greatly appreciate your patience as we return to the office. Also, if your organization is in need of our assistance, please reach out today, tomorrow, or weeks from now – we are here to help.
As our communities rebound from Helene, even with some rescue and recovery efforts still underway, we know that the conversation will shift to rebuilding. Please know that Equinox is ready and willing to help with your planning, design, and ecological restoration needs, recognizing that the theme of resiliency around which we base our work will be paramount to ensuring that our infrastructure has the strength to withstand future storms. Now, more so than ever, our firm’s mission rings true.
Please reach out and let us know how we can help.
