We Prefer Our Hurricanes in a Glass

Seven years ago, when we embarked on this journey that was SanCap PaknShip, we felt a lot of fear and trepidation because we were entering unknown territory.  However, as we got to know so many of the lovely people within the community of Sanibel and were so warmly embraced and made to feel right at home that these fears and anxieties were quickly swept away. Even over the years when challenges would arise, and there were plenty: Hurricane Irma, Red Tide, Covid, the resiliency of this island could be seen within our store. So many of you were there to support us and encourage us to keep pursuing our dream of being business owners on Sanibel. To say it has been difficult since hurricane Ian would be a gross understatement.  Seeing the devastation that Hurricane Ian has caused our little store and the place where we call home has caused a pain that is too difficult to describe.  Since the Hurricane, we have been on the island almost everyday. But we have been away from the store and without the community we always looked forward to seeing each and every day, and that has only deepened the pain even more. This has been an extremely trying time for us. The devastation is vast and runs deeper than just the damage we sustained in our homes and businesses.  Right now our island is fractured, our community is reeling, and uncertainty is at an all time high.  I contemplate everyday whether what we built on Sanibel can ever be repaired. Seeing the damage that the storm did to PaknShip, and the 90% loss we sustained, has caused me to lose hope at times. I don’t know what the future has for us, but as Lauren and I have taken some time recently to look at some old photos of our life on Sanibel we can’t help but start to feel hope.  The last 6 years have been filled with some of the most beautiful memories and lovely people that we have gotten to share this community with. It fills me with so much gratitude looking back to when we got to send bubble room cakes up to Massachusetts for a wedding, or the engagement ring we had to overnight because the newly engaged bride to be wasn’t used to having the ring on her finger yet, and the countless family heirlooms we carefully packed in order to survive the next generation. So when we are met with trying times and challenges like the one we face now, it can be easy to slip back to those old feelings of fear and anxiety. However I’m reassured in knowing that just because our island has taken a blow for the ages, as a community we will embrace the challenge, as we always do, of rebuilding it back, together. We are Sanibel strong. And we will get through this like we’ve overcome so many other obstacles in the past.