Reports of her fury were as numerous as the minacious clouds hanging in the sky. Threats of floods, fierce winds, and power outages rang from the speakers of television sets and car radios, as people prepared for the worst. Doors locked, families were called, and the wait commenced, as what would surely be one of the worst storms of our brief lives thus far approached.
Sleep was unexpectedly easy to find, despite warnings that the night would be the worst part of the storm. Suddenly, it’s the next day. Tired eyes look out the window to a bright day, with no real signs of the destruction that was to occur. A single tree branch is on the sidewalk, no longer than an arm’s length, and many leaves are scattered around the neighborhood.
My first thought is “Thank G-d it wasn’t bad.” My second thought is used to wonder how others are. Were we spared while others took the hardest hits from Irene? This was the case. While the storm had weakened when it arrived here, many surrounding areas are dealing with floods, downed power lines, and even the remaining threat of possible tornadoes. Also, let us not forget there were at least a dozen who lost their lives to Irene.
Friends, be thankful Irene wasn’t as destructive as was promised. Be thankful that, for the first time in a while, the government helped to prepare its people for a disaster adequately, even if it was adverted. Also, be thankful you were not one of those who lost their life in the storm. Finally, remember that there are still people who are dealing with this storm’s consequences, and that you got lucky if you’re not one of them.
AristotleIsOut 