Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Earthquake of small magnitude

I was just going out to work on my interview prep for tomorrow.

As the elevator door was closing,

I saw the door began to shake -

I did not know why it was doing this.

*

I thought the elevator was having a huge breakdown

(it is an older one).

**

The elevator started really rumbling and shaking,

sand was falling on my head.

***

I prayed Lord have mercy automatically

three times

and pressed the elevator alarm button.

By then I was going past the 2nd floor and

then it opened like it is supposed to one the first floor.

I called my landlords immediately,

still thinking that it was just an elevator problem

(a BIG elevator problem!).

One woman was very pale,
everyone started coming out of the building.
*
Earthquake!
**
And I was in an elevator!
***
Eventually, after talking with various neighbours,
I went back to my apartment;
I had already prayed for my Cleo cat,
who is fine
but may have been a bit worried;
books fell down, icons, my willow branches from Palm Sunday.
But my dishes, open on shelves, were still in tact!
My icons are okay.
My lampada is still lit by St. George and
my icons of the Holy Trinity
and the Transfiguration.
*
I called my parents, called my Ottawa family,
texted my godchild
(she is fine too)
went on Facebook to say I was fine
and saw other friend's updates about it...
*
and so is the story of a small earthquake felt in Ottawa
in which God spared many.
*
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy

10 comments:

E Helena E said...

Lord have mercy! Thank you for this update - I was going to call you to see if you were okay, but couldn't through anywhere on cell phone for a while. Our bldg was evacuated and we were let go early later on. Thanks be to God for His great mercy! I knew at once what it was and was praying with much fear.

Peacocks and Sunflowers said...

Oh my! Glad you're ok.

Donna Witek said...

Oh my goodness! Thank God you are okay! Your turning to prayer immediately in the elevator was exactly the best thing you could have done. May God grant me the strength to do the same if I'm ever in such a situation.

Anonymous said...

Scary! So glad you're ok. And glory be to God that you prayer came so freely!

elizabeth said...

Yes, I am glad I prayed too; to be honest I was in a bit of shock, the elevator was really banging and rocking around! It was like I was a robot automatically thinking, oh, I need to say Lord have mercy so I did...

GretchenJoanna said...

That earthquake, whatever its number rating, was evidently of a larger magnitude than I've experienced as long as I can remember, even here in California! The last couple of earthquakes we had, I did not feel, but I saw the effects, such as the water in our swimming pool looking like high ocean waves.
Seems to me an elevator would be one of the most sensitive places to be, and I am so glad yours opened and let you out, and that it was only sand on your head. Glory to God.

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

I thank God you are okay and that the damage was not worse.
It must have been really frightening :-(

Michelle M. said...

How scary! I have never been in an earthquake, but they sound frightening. Glad you are ok.

Lauren S. said...

That is very scary!! Thank God you are OK...I had a nightmare about an earthquake last night and freaked myself out and warned myself to make sure we have emergency supplies. Whew! Another reminder to do so.

Elizabeth J. said...

Earthquakes can be quite frightening at the time... I have experienced them my whole life, but I still begin praying when I feel one shake the house. Cannot imagine being in an elevator...