Tornado…With Perspective

As everyone across the country knows by now, Raleigh, NC had a nasty brush with a tornado on Saturday. It is so interesting to me to see other people’s reactions in a time of crisis. I tend to get overly excited at the prospect of a good thunder-storm so the thought of a tornado was, well, exhilarating. In no way am I saying I welcome destruction and I am very sad for the losses many people have endured.

What I am saying is that I tend to get very excited by a weather event. My senses go on overload and I feel very in tune with the mystery of the universe. I can feel the crackle of atoms and cosmic mass swirling around and smell the clean, earthy approach of rain. The anticipation of an incredible surge or burst of energy puts my senses on full overload. So it was on Saturday as I tucked my kids into the basement. Actually, I had been waiting all day and hoping for some kind of event. So in those moments when the tornado made its way to downtown Raleigh, I just wanted to sneak out  and see what I could see, hear the roar if there was one, and feel the power of the wind.

We all know the aftermath. Certainly destructive. But in the hours following, the post storm chasers were i.e. normal people  They were out for the thrill of it. To see whatever destruction there was and be the first to report. Then there were the post traumatics. Literally freaking  from the event, maybe without power therefore no food but in truth the really affected ones by the event. Alcohol was flowing for sure. To calm the nerves. But it really seemed like a mini war event. What if it were really serious? Would we be prepared? I think not. But do you want to put life on hold and be so prepared? I think the days following were probably the liveliest that many had spent in a long time. Thinking about mortality. Feeling the grip of mother nature in her most wicked moment.

The calm after the tornado