Seeing the World Like a Child

Today was an eventful day.  Near the end of my work day, there was a tornado spotted not too far from our place of business.  As a result, everyone at my place of employment was quickly rushed into an area that would hopefully provide adequate cover for us.  There we stood, all of us, dispersed between three, windowless rooms.  No one was allowed to use their cell phone to let anyone know what was going on.  About 5 minutes after 6, we were given the all-clear, the tornado warning dropped to a severe thunderstorm warning.  With that, I left the company and drove off toward home, my shift having been completed 5 minutes prior.

The rain came down in sheets, violently lashing at anything that dared to pass through.  I sped along with all the other cars, almost as if we were racing between the rain drops.  Finally, I come out of the city and move farther and farther away from the rain clouds to find a surprise: it was dry.

Bone dry.  The sun was pouring down onto the Earth and the pavement, grass and everything else was dry, no sign of any precipitation.  I felt as though I had reverted back to a child, in wonderment of what I was beholding.  When I was a child, I seemed to think that when it rained, it rained around the world and when the sun was out, so it was every where on Earth.  Remember that moment when you would be outside and watching as a sheet of rain comes moving gradually towards you?  Hearing the rain hitting the ground quietly and the noise begins to grow, until you feel the heavy raindrops hit your skin, head and clothing.

I felt this way on the way home about another thing I noticed as well.  The sun at times was hidden behind that clouds.  But you could see the beautiful beams piercing through the cloud cover.  When I was younger, I associated this with God and angels, thinking this was glory raining down.  Nearing that concept of a rainbow, it served as a reminder that I was being watched.  I also considered Heaven to be the clouds, my relatives and loved ones walking over me, peeping over the edge to protect me.

When we are children, everything is so much simpler than it may appear now.  Beauty was easier to find in things and the search for happiness was never a burden.  The world came simple and everything was new.  I know I celebrate this mindset often but I am certain I am not the only person in the world who wishes she could go back to a simpler time in the world.

Well, Readers, my fiance has his son this weekend so I am not certain with what chance I will have to indulge you in my thoughts.  But if I have a moment to tell you what is happening or if the mood suddenly strikes me, I will be more than happy to share.  Until that point, enjoy life and don't let it pass you by.

Lightning, Tornadoes and Flooding...Oh My!

A few nights ago, I got to behold one of the most beautiful things in nature: a thunderstorm.  You may laugh, but I believe there is something simply amazing about the lightning striking across the sky, ripping the dark clouds apart, bringing light into the night for mere seconds.

There is so much symbolism that can be seen within lightning.  It happens typically in conjunction with a storm, a violent occurrence in nature.  It is electricity, something that we as people took so much time trying to figure out how to harness and use to our advantage.  It is almost angry, the thunder rolling behind it, almost a warning of the power you barely missed being inflicted upon your head.  With the exception, of course, of those individuals who have been struck by this part of nature.

So much of life can be compared to a lightning storm.  Life comes and goes in a blink of an eye.  If you aren't careful, you will miss the path you are suppose to walk down.  The only echo of that chance is the thunder that follows.  The bright streaks across the sky remind us that every moment is precious.  We have been having several storms lately but we cannot forget Oklahoma in our thoughts and prayers.  While we held witness to electricity striking across our sky, they held witness to a tower of wind, debris and terror.

I cannot imagine the fear that would overcome me should I ever see a tornado knocking at my doorstep.  What do you do in those moments?  Do you cling to your family or do try to outrun a freight train?  Yes, nature is a thing of beauty but a thing to fear as well.  When I was younger, I was reminded of this quite clearly.

Aerial views of Rocky Mount, NC
flooding

Hurricane Floyd ripped through my hometown of Rocky Mount, North Carolina.  I remember going through hurricanes vividly.  By the end of the night, my sisters and I would be with my parents in their room as the wind howled around us, trees seemingly being brought to their knees.  A calm would come but we know this is a false sense of security, the back wall of the monster fast approaching.  The morning after Floyd, we stepped outside to survey the damage.  To our surprise, we could see the water line two blocks behind our home.  We could go down the street to a valley where my sisters, our friends and all of us would ride our bikes down which was now filled with water...

Remember to celebrate life each and every day.  You never know when you will miss that strike of lightning for opportunity only to hear it in an echo.  And you never know when the water may be fast approaching your family.  Protect what you love and respect what you don't understand.  Most importantly, in times of need, look out for one another.  That's how my family and our neighbors got through, working together.  Until then, enjoy a thing called, "La Vie."