About the Author
Jeff Pelton
Jeff Pelton lives with his wife and children on Vancouver Island.
In 2010, Jeff was spending time in Santiago, Chile, when an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck early in the morning, followed by many aftershocks in the days and weeks that followed. He was struck by how people came together in that time and helped each other to recover. Jeff hopes that this story can help children and parents to focus on what is within their control, have a plan, and practice what to do from time to time.
Q&A
Most frequent questions and answers
After I experienced a large earthquake, I realized that although I had always felt prepared for one, I hadn’t really envisioned what it might feel like in all the different places that I could be when it happens, how long it would last, and how many aftershocks there would be. It took a lot longer than I thought after the earthquake was ‘over’ for things to really return to normal.
I sometimes began to feel worried or anxious about earthquakes, or other natural events, and I had to learn to accept that they will happen, they are natural, and that while they are outside of my control, there are always things I can do to be prepared.
When my kids were young, I was telling them my story about being in an earthquake and showing them some of the items in our earthquake kit. One of their questions, very logically, was “okay, so when will it happen here? will it be tomorrow?” My older son was really into storytelling and drawing at that age, and so we started to write it out together. Later, I thought it would be so great to finish the story and be able to share it with other kids too.
Sometimes in life, things will happen that can seem scary. But if we learn about them, focus on what we can control, and practice what to do from time to time, then things will be as good as they can be. Despite the fact that earthquakes can be damaging, they can also serve as a reminder that the earth is alive and awe-inspiring. there is so much beauty and power in nature that we can (most of the time) experience, enjoy and take care of.
In addition to writing, I have a day job. I’m also a parent. In all that I do, I think storytelling and communicating in multiple ways is central to life, success and connection.
