“One day we might have many things and tomorrow we start from scratch.” This is the lesson and actual life-altering experience given to Omar, a Chilean fisherman who survived one of the largest tsunamis in the South Pacific with only his family, his diving gear, and the door of the home he’d built on the beach. The earthquake that caused it all was so massive that it brought waves as tall as 10 meters, taking away almost all of Omar’s material belongings. But with those two material possessions, Omar was able to rebuild everything from scratch.
“The sea gave it to me and took it back,” he says now. Three years after the catastrophe, Omar shares his wisdom while reflecting on the experience. He has overcome the trauma and returns to the place he loves most, just as a person kisses the hand of the one who feeds him. This feeling of gratitude in the face of devastation, he now knows what his true priorities in life are.
