I’ve always cared deeply about those who lose everything in a disaster.

In years past when I watched television coverage of people who lost everything and had to get by each day without the basics of food and water, I couldn’t imagine such deprivation.

I can now. When Hurricane Ina stormed into my Rotunda West community on Sept. 28, it took away my home and life as I know it.

As I sat through the scary hours of storm surge and 130 mph winds, I had strong doubts I would survive.

When morning came and I could give thanks for being alive, I thought the worst was over.

Actually, when a hurricane hits home, it’s not over when it’s over. The worst was just beginning.

The same daylight that had me celebrating being alive also let me see my shattered home and what I was left with.

Not much.

I tried hard to keep a positive attitude because I knew one way or the other I had to get through this.

Coincidentally, two weeks ago in church our beloved pastor had a sermon about misplaced love of our possessions. God wants us to put our pursuits into helping others, not into accumulating more possessions, he said.

As I listened to him I thought I don’t accumulate possessions. But I do love what I have. In fact, I talked to God just about every day about being grateful for my modest but pretty little cottage.

When I opened my eyes each morning I was greeted with the tranquility of a bedroom I thought was an eye-pleasing room.

At least once a day I thanked God for my sun-filled lanai and the wonderful wildlife and water view I see all day through my patio doors.

While I knew my home couldn’t compare to the new, beautiful big homes going up all over our development, I also knew no one could have loved a home more than I loved my little piece of paradise.

I knew I was blessed.

I tried to stay positive by saying well, some of the walls are still standing and after I mopped up the water all over the house, I still had my nice hardwood floors. But the plaster and insulation kept falling on us, covering every single surface in the house.

Three days later mold covered everything and the stench made it hard to breathe. We were told we had to get out.

Yet, we stayed there. We had no place else to go.

We had no power, no water, no food. Everything I had stocked in the refrigerator spoiled in the heat.

I used to love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but I got tired of eating them. It was a week of that routine until the Samaritian’s Purse charity came by with water and delicious smoked pulled pork sandwiches.

Here’s what made it all bearable. People traveled from distant states to bring us water, food and supplies.

They say we in Florida had more help faster than in previous disasters. So many good people made it happen.

In the rubble of what was once my home and garden my son-in-law found a small figurine that said “hope.”

That’s what they gave us. Hope.

I had a constant pressure headache. Most of all, I had to struggle not to give in to the heartache of losing my home.

When I looked at the rubble, twisted aluminum, downed ceiling, hanging insulation, soaking wet rugs, and my closets filled with wet, smelling clothes, I didn’t know where to start. It was overwhelming.

My two daughters, Maria and Andrea, along with Andrea’s wonderful husband Greg, were my heroes. They abandoned jobs and came here for five days, working from dawn to dusk to carry away the wet mess. We stacked it on the curb along with the rubble of our neighbors.

While Maria wasn’t here, she saved my sanity by researching and immediately hiring a general contractor and independent claims adjuster to help me.

What a good job she did in her selection. I could never cope through all that came next without them because I had lost my voice from trauma and fatigue.

This is something important I realized.

There will always be more furniture in stores and resale shops. There will always be more clothes to replace all I lost.

It’s a loving family that is not irreplaceable. Our little family unit is strong and they continue to help me every day as the trials and challenges of surviving a hurricane continue.

It was especially hard to see the contractor tear the walls of my damaged kitchen. Getting that kitchen didn’t come easily. For years I had saved and shopped wisely to finally replace the old kitchen.

There are some days when I am still overcome with the scope of all that remains to be done. I want to rebuild in some way.

I do realize what is definitely an end to one phase of my life is also the start of a new phase.

While I don’t know what is ahead, I am filled with faith. I believe the God who took care of me all my life has new wonders in store for me and new paths to walk.

So I walk on in faith and in deep gratitude, letting my gratitude for life overcome the trials ahead.

Contact Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net.