Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Can You Believe...?

The weather is gorgeous here today. Perhaps the town is a little battered from Winter's Storms, but there is hope on people's faces. Those faces reflect the light from Sun; weatherworn and aged or newborn, all share in the warmth of the coming Spring.



I was intending to share in the feeling of Spring's goodwill. It warmed outside as the morning wore on; I thought I would take my camera and drive into the hills to see if I could find my new home. And I had the idea of taking a trip into town to visit the interesting little toy shop I had noticed. It will soon be Graydon's first birthday, and he will receive his first parcel from his grandparents in the Cariboo.

But there were other plans afoot. Dark energies intent on destroying faith in me overrode the positive thoughts I was sending. Too tired to be aware, my energies low, I drew the black forces...and received a big wake-up call.

I don't live in a retirement community any longer.

My car had been burgled sometime during the night.

My mind elsewhere, I mildly wondered why the car door was a little ajar, and as I sat down, my mind finally registered that the entire front dashboard was lying in pieces around me. And there were shards of glass everywhere from when the would-be thieves broke all the lights, in order to work in darkness.
I stumbled out of the car, feeling the leaden emotion, a deadening one, I experience when I am hit by shock. During this time, I am completely unaware of any activity around me, and am not aware, either, of what I am about.

I called the owner of the Motel, where we are staying. After a short conversation, wherein he expressed his shock and disbelief, he immediately called the RCMP.

I couldn't reach Graham, as he was out of his office.
And so, I wandered outside, into the Garden. I stared down at the just-awakening plants, wondering vaguely if I would see them bloom. Would I still be here, at the Motel? Trees are showing huge buds. As soon as the Snow cover left, the sleeping plants made up for lost time.



Spring is coming to the Cariboo, just as it does everywhere.

How easily and quickly our locked car was vandalized! Right in front of our room! I was beginning to understand what had happened; however, I wanted to hold on to the deadened, protective state I was in awhile longer.

Graham arrived; the police soon after.

A few months ago, the RCMP had used marked cars, and had been able to stop the rampant car thievery happening here. But the thieves had done their time in prison, they were out this week, and Williams Lake is once more a target.

The thieves trying to take my car were interrupted, but not before, as the policeman stated, they had made a real mess. The dashboard and the steering column were entirely pulled apart...it was obviously a job done by an amateur. Had they known what they were doing, the car would have been gone.

Instead, we wait for an insurance adjuster, at which point the vehicle will be towed to wherever they take poor, disabled cars which are the object of useless thievery.

It was not until a few hours later that my legs began to shake. And my body felt as if it were waking from a long sleep.

I went through a whole gamut of emotions; bewilderment and confusion seemed to be foremost.

Anger, a strangely diluted anger, appeared this morning, over a small thing which had nothing at all to do with my car. But it had me seeing a murderous red, until I became aware.

Violence, even random violence, does much damage to the victim. I am aware of how I react to these senseless acts which switch on Shock...it is as if I detach and watch and wait, knowing what the next stage will be, and hanging on, riding it out. But, years ago, in a time where I did not understand myself so well, an act such as this had the capability of placing me into depression...deep sadness and anxiety.

I have found it feels much better to just wait and see, at my age. I no longer have the energy to tackle things I can do very little about...I no longer have the energy to bang my head against that wall.

So. I will let the authorities do what they do, in their time, which seems just short of a complete stop. And I will concentrate, instead, on what I have learned about this vast place. Williams Lake is a large city, and it sits as the Hub of many small towns and villages. It is a draw for both positive and negative energies.

It is situated in a land carved by Rivers, Lakes, Ravines and Mountains. It is a land of vast distances; people think nothing of travelling miles to shop. There is still a certain lawless feel to the area. Car theft is an easy target, as there are so many places to hide the trashed vehicle. We were told the thieves probably just wanted a ride home.

After which, the car would have been dumped in one of the far off Ravines...

And yet. This place feels so familiar. Still, even with the vandalism, I feel at home. It is a mill town, similar to my hometown in many, many ways. I understand the concerns and worries inherent to an industrial City that relies, in large part, on the Forest Industry.

With the addition of the Pine Beetle, a devastating scourge for huge areas of Forest, and the additional layoffs with reference to the slumping housing market, there is fear here...fear of the future, for those with young families. A familiar scenario.

It seems, while I live in the City, I will be required to take more care, to leave the small town naivety I came with behind.


As one of the RCMP officers said...Do you remember those quiet walks on the Beach? And he gave a small chuckle.

Yes. I do, indeed.
Today, however, a few days after the incident...I bask in the gentle Wind and Sun, feeling perfectly at ease, grounded and safe. I've already seen three Moose...amazingly huge beings...and am watching the different Birds. I see, before my eyes, the Cariboo waking up, and a wondrous sight it is.
I am grateful to be here.
The decision to move was exactly right.

9 comments:

  1. Being a crime victim is traumatizing. A few months ago some idiots decided to cart away parts of my car, in a well lighted driveway, on a busy street. They didn't get very far, but it was still a terrible feeling to understand first hand what kind of people live among us.

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  2. I'm glad you could move on. Sometimes holding onto the anger is just not worth the bother. Are the photos yours? I love the clouds. I look forward to hearing more about the new home.

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  3. Oh Marion....what a horrible thing to happen to you. I haven`t been here for a visit in so long and am sad to have to read that. I had my car vandalized a few years back too and it makes you so angry and violated. This world is so full of scary people.
    I see you`re moving....all the very best to you in your new home.

    tea
    xo

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  4. I had my truck stoln a few years ago and had a reaction similar to yours. I was recovered a couple of days later (seems the thieves were no brighter than the ones who tried to take your car) very near where I lived at the time. In the meantime, I rode the bus and wondered what I was going to do about a car, since I knew I needed one. I never realized it if I was angry. However, after we moved into a house on the outskirts of town on 2 fenced acres, I realized that I had been a little bit anxious every time I started out of the apartment in the mornings. I was sondering just a little bit if my truck would be there.

    I know that you will most likely make these same kind of discoveries for yourself as time goes on. It sounds as though you have come to a good and peaceful place with the situation.

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  5. Anonymous4:07 p.m.

    That wasn't a very nice welcome to Williams Lake but I see that you are already starting to get it into perspective and focus again on the natural charms of the place. It looks absolutely glorious. I am sure that you and Graham will be very happy there!

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  6. Sorry to hear about the car, but so glad you are OK. Glad to see the Police were prompt in following up (something which rarely happens here even with hijackings).

    Your new home sounds just perfect and so nice to hear you have a forest nearby once more.

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  7. Jan,

    You've put it very well. Even though I knew the vandalism was not personal, it certainly affected me in a very personal way. If I was not in a Motel room, too far from Town to walk anywhere, I could keep myself busy and just use G's car when I needed it.

    As it is, I'm stuck here for much of the day until I get a rental car; none are available here right now.

    Sheila,

    My adrenaline fund is low, lol! It really isn't worth the bother.

    The photos are mine; the sunset and clouds were taken at the Motel in Parksville, a short distance from Qualicum Beach, my former home. And the photo of the motel and frozen lake are here, in Williams Lake.

    Tea,

    Nice to see you!

    Thank you for your good wishes. I'm looking forward to making our new home comfortable for us.There is little landscaping, so planning a garden will take up some of my time.

    Seventh,

    At the moment, my car has been towed to be fixed. We have bought one of those clubs for the steering wheel; however, an experienced car thief would not be deterred much.

    I am a little apprehensive about driving my car, after it's fixed...hope they fix it perfectly!

    Simon,

    I feel very grounded here and mostly anxiety free. The energy here is very calming, and it is difficult to describe the wild beauty...it is so vast!

    It will be a huge learning experience, living here. I'm looking forward to being in our home, making it ours.

    Jackie,

    I am so looking forward to identifying the Trees...it is a complete Forest. But there is no jungly underbrush, as there is in a Coastal Forest.

    We have view of the Borland Valley. Unfortunately, in order to take the greatest advantage of it, we would have to take out Trees.

    I will have to live there for awhile before I can decide something like that.

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  8. Sorry to hear about this, vandalism is an awful and pointless crime. But good to see this hasn't changed your mind about the move. Lets hope the RCMP catch up with them and take them out of the community again.

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  9. Sorry to hear about your car Marion. Glad you are ok. I had a car stolen a few years ago and like you was just so annoyed. I agree, sometimes it's better just to let it go and move on. It's just horrible to think someone has violated your property and something that belongs to you. It's always traumatic when something like that happens. Unfortunately there are a lot of bad people in the world.

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