A Happy Place

Last week I trekked to Sanibel Island (our favorite gathering place) with RVing friends. With beautiful beaches offering fun shelling, myriads of bike trails, Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge and scrumptious restaurants, Sanibel is a place in which happiness is the ambience.

As many may remember, Sanibel and Captive Islands were devastated in 2022 by hurricane Ian, the deadliest hurricane to strike Florida since 1935.. The bridge connecting Sanibel with the mainland partially collapsed. Many homes and commercial establishments were leveled while thousands of others were severely damaged and flooded. Many island residents found themselves fighting for their lives as winds reached over 130 MPH and waters surged over 12 feet.

I had the good fortune to meet and talk with one of the residents who braved that storm that almost cost her life. Angelika Geerlof, a noted photographer and shopkeeper, caught my attention by her friendly, helpful demeanor during my visit to a local shop. As I commented on the islands recovery and asked questions, Angelika related her harrowing Ian experience. She recounted how the rising water engulfed her home and rose over her head within 15 minutes. She was forced to swim to safety while her son hung onto a tree. Like so many, her belongings were ruined. but unlike 150 others, she lived.

Angelika also related losing much of her furniture when the storm Sandi flooded her home in New Jersey. I marvel, not only at her resilience but her optimistic outlook and determination to carry on. Many would have grim outlooks after just one of her experiences but not her. She has turned the Ian experience into a beautiful photo book capturing the devastating effects of Ian on the island paradise. Examples of her photography & her books can be seen on SanibelMoodscapes on Facebook.

It’s rare that I would call out a business but I was also impressed because she gives 10% of her profits to charity. Who does that after having had two major losses? A kind and caring person….that’s who.