I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Our city has become known throughout the world because of the severe beating we took last week.

Torrential rain pushed open the floodgates and turned our city and surrounding areas into an ocean of destruction. Streets were ripped up, homes were pulled down and people’s lives were turned around in ways they could never have imagined possible.

We spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday hoping and praying that the severely overstressed sewer pipes in our condo would not burst and flood our four level parkade taking out our electrical rooms in the process.

Fortunately we were spared anything more than the stress caused by nervous anticipation of the worst.

Many of the condos, office building and hotels – a few short blocks east of us – were not so fortunate and will be many months on the mend.

I have friends who have described their homes as being nothing more than water-filled ponds and others who talk of having lost all the truly irreplaceable things in their lives –photos, trophies mementos. There are huge holes where roads used to be, rubble where homes used to be and parkades filled with vehicles floating inside like toys in a swimming pool.

But this blog is not about what was, nor is it about the horrors of the past few days. It is what it is – an historical event that no amount of tears will undo. This blog is about what is – the remarkable attitude of a city united and galvanized into action.

Certainly there are those who are defeatists, who believe their lives have been forever changed and all joy has been permanently removed. There are those who focus entirely on what they have lost. All of this is quite understandable in light of the enormity of their losses, but what is even more remarkable is the resilience and determination of Calgarians and Albertans to rebuild their city, their homes, their infrastructure, the surrounding areas and to make them bigger, better and stronger than ever before.

In my travels around the city over these past few days before I have asked people, mostly volunteers, how long they intend to continue helping out fellow citizens and the answer is always been the same, “I’ll be here as long as it takes.”

There is no doubt that we will emerge a stronger, more united and better society not because we have experienced severe hardship, not because adversity has struck a powerful blow, but because of how the great people of Alberta, in the face of all of this, have stood resolute and declared that, unlike the fairy tale, they will put Humpty back together again.

Last week we spoke about the Habit of Doing it Until … and my fellow Albertans, are demonstrating the power of that habit. While for some the worst is yet to come, the collective determination to restore the vibrancy and beauty of our city will ensure the success of their mission.

Our city emergency management commanders and the thousands of employees responding to calls have been nothing short of magnificent in their response to this disaster and they offer proof-positive that the Habit of Doing it Until … is the only way to ensure not just that things get done, but that the right things get done and that they get done right.

The army of volunteers who willingly giving their time and resources to aid their fellow citizens is growing by the hour with platoons of volunteers pouring in from other cities and provinces.

Calgary will be a role model for all that is possible when people embrace the Habit of Doing it Until …

Knowing the heart of Calgarians, who would possibly expect anything less?

Let’s make a habit of meeting like this.

P.S. If you haven’t yet subscribed to, or even just checked out, my new blog called Habits Cause Have Its please click here.

P.P.S. I am very excited to share with you that my book Life Sinks or Soars – the Choice is Yours now has its very own website. Please visit us at  www.lifesinksorsoars.com  and let me know what you think.

P.P.S.S. A few weeks ago I had the privilege of doing my first ever radio interview.. The topic of the interview was my book, Life Sinks or Soars – the Choice is Yours. Here is a link to my interview.

Two weeks later I did my second interview. Here is the link.

I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas or suggestions once you have listened to them. Please contact me at rael@raelkalley.com and share your thoughts.