The the past few weeks, the lead stories in the news have been about the weather. No rain. Too much rain. Cold. Record heat. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Stormy, stormy weather. In Baltimore, it's been rainy/cloudy for a week now. Last night when I walked the dog it was misting, barely there rain, closer to heavy fog.
I thought about how that mist was like most difficulties in life--barely there--so that we hardly notice them as we go through our day. Not quite enough money, a small headache, a cantankerous child, a scorched dinner. It's only when the accumulation of water drops is so great that it interferes with life that we really take notice.
Then there are the times that we encounter the huge raging storms, when the thunder and lightning and downpours and wind deafen us to the friends and family around us. In the heart of the storm we are positive that we're alone, that we're the only one out there in the crash and blast of life. It's only after the roof collapses, the great tree falls, the house blows away that we understand that we were all together in the storm.
Sometimes we are the survivors, the unlikely ones who escape against all the odds and crawl battered from the wreckage, amazed that we're still alive and uncertain of the future. How will we go on? Other times we're the rescuers and comforters, the ones who offer a helping hand and a warm embrace. We're the encouragers who urge the survivors on with our listening hearts because we know they must talk first before they can heal.
Across the land, we have friends and family who are in the heart of the storm whether literally, physcially, or emotionally. Trouble is on every side. Overwhelming lose and destruction are facing them. Will we stand aside? Or will we offer a helping hand? Will we embrace them with an attentive heart, holding them until they can stand again on their own? In our hurry, scurry lives do we understand that none of us are immune to the storms in life?
It takes only moments for life to change, for disaster to strike. In my life I have rarely had warning before trouble came crashing through the door. Today life is good. Tomorrow that may not be the case. Tomorrow I may find myself in the heart of the storm.
Anny
Amarinda has Emmeline today at http://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com and if you missed it yesterday it's at Kelly's at http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com
We've had 1 bad storm; last week, the tornado sirens went off, but no tornado. Now, we're just baking in this heat...101 degrees yesterday! I wish they'd re-open the pool:)
ReplyDeleteAnny, I'll the the one holding the umbrella for you and singing "Kumbaya" :)
ReplyDeleteYou are so deep. Very cool.
What would I do without you, Anny? I'm going to be a survivor soon too. When that time comes, I can only hope that I'm at least half as capable as you are at extending a helping hand since I know you're one in a gazillion! Thanks you, friend.
ReplyDelete