This is the first year that I truly feel scared. Why? Because as I get older, health and welfare become dearer as each day passes. Seeing all of the devastation across the south, I shudder. Many years ago now, in 1979, there was a bad tornado in the town where our youngest daughter now lives with her family. It took out a third of the town and killed 2 women. This was about 25 miles northwest of where we live. We have had several tornados come fairly close. One even came through our town last summer and took the roof off of a few homes. Luckily no one was hurt. The children who live in the worst damaged home, were not at home. They were only a few blocks away, with their Grandparents. I cannot imagine how horrified their parents had to be on their way home from the next larger town. I cannot imagine having to go through something like that. Losing everything...or almost everything. Some even lost their loved ones or friends. A bad tornado went through the town my sister in law and her family live in. It missed them by literally ONE block. It too killed 2 people. As happens often, their home was almost untouched. Just a bit of wind damage. There was also a tornado about 2 miles south of our town a couple of years ago. That one was in an open area so no real damage occurred. There was one north of town about 3 miles also. It took out some outbuildings, but missed the house. The same tornado moved on north east and picked up a home and set it back down crooked on the foundation. The man who lived there just made it to the house as the storm hit. He managed to get to safety just in time. His home was ruined and his machine shed came down around his farm equipment. It still makes me shudder to think about how dangerous these storms can be and have been. When I think about this, I realize how blessed we are that we have remained safe. I remember being in the basement when the tornado hit town and hearing that wind go through. My dh was up and down the basement stairs several times. He was watching the news and out the window. He no longer does that. One year an awful hail storm ravaged the town west of us and did lots of damage in our town too. I remember the rainbow afterwards, it was so beautiful. How things can change in a heartbeat. Also, we spent many a day or night in our downstairs shower with my 3 daughters and our dog, waiting until the storms had moved on through. Never did I let my mind think about what would happen if the basement filled with water or the sump pump back up and quit. We took blankets and pillows with us. A couple of times we have had to take our grandsons down while they were staying overnight with us. We worked to make it seem like a kind of game so that they would not be as scared of the storms as we were inside. I am not sure if we succeeded or not. We had one dog who was scared of storms, but she had been left as a puppy in a box in a church yard in a storm. I will end this for now. I may add some more to it a bit later on....after I let it mill around in my head and heart a while. This update is written on September 22, 2016.
Are the storms getting worse as time goes on? It certainly seems like it. Of course most of that is because we hear more about things and in what becomes too much detail sometimes, I think. The daily struggle continues. We keep working to find good things to counter the bad ones. So far we are winning. There are still so many good people in this world. They run toward danger and crime and pain and suffering. Bless them every one. I am not sure I could do that. I have only had a couple of times that I was called on to help and that was more from a distance than close up. I would hope that I could muster enough courage if and when needed. I always start shaking so badly that I almost faint. Gotta work on that. lol
I am struggling again right now. You see, I just lost my final parent. My Dad died. He was getting better and then he just died suddenly and left us all. It may have been the kindest way in the long run, but for now it hurts like Hell. The thing is, I cannot seem to let down and cry and mourn. I keep thinking all the stuff you are supposed to think and say and do. Going through the motions again. Going to sleep. Waking up again. Sleeping in after being up to One in the morning. One time it was after two before I could let down and go to bed. I was sitting and thinking and writing and watching television and reading a book and playing a game. Anything to dull my mind and let me just chill out and not think at all. Yes, the eating too. I seem to be hell bent to gain back the weight I worked so hard to lose. I will not do that, however. I just won't. I have no stamina. I usually take a long nap. Some days I don't because I just can't sleep. I continue to think about what happened, the gruesome details. Over and over they go in my mind.
Anyway. That will be it for tonight as I have totally wandered away from thinking and talking about storms. I guess I am in a Storm in my mind right now. Now I am an Orphan. Where is the Train????
For now, take care and have a Goodnight Moon.
Kate
Are the storms getting worse as time goes on? It certainly seems like it. Of course most of that is because we hear more about things and in what becomes too much detail sometimes, I think. The daily struggle continues. We keep working to find good things to counter the bad ones. So far we are winning. There are still so many good people in this world. They run toward danger and crime and pain and suffering. Bless them every one. I am not sure I could do that. I have only had a couple of times that I was called on to help and that was more from a distance than close up. I would hope that I could muster enough courage if and when needed. I always start shaking so badly that I almost faint. Gotta work on that. lol
I am struggling again right now. You see, I just lost my final parent. My Dad died. He was getting better and then he just died suddenly and left us all. It may have been the kindest way in the long run, but for now it hurts like Hell. The thing is, I cannot seem to let down and cry and mourn. I keep thinking all the stuff you are supposed to think and say and do. Going through the motions again. Going to sleep. Waking up again. Sleeping in after being up to One in the morning. One time it was after two before I could let down and go to bed. I was sitting and thinking and writing and watching television and reading a book and playing a game. Anything to dull my mind and let me just chill out and not think at all. Yes, the eating too. I seem to be hell bent to gain back the weight I worked so hard to lose. I will not do that, however. I just won't. I have no stamina. I usually take a long nap. Some days I don't because I just can't sleep. I continue to think about what happened, the gruesome details. Over and over they go in my mind.
Anyway. That will be it for tonight as I have totally wandered away from thinking and talking about storms. I guess I am in a Storm in my mind right now. Now I am an Orphan. Where is the Train????
For now, take care and have a Goodnight Moon.
Kate
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