Flash! Boom! Its like strobe lights and drums going off of their own accord high up in the sky where no one can see them and it leaves us with such a feeling. Storms are common wherever you might go though all are different.
I love to sit out on the back porch in the midst of a heavy storm and watch the lightning, laughing madly at the loud boom that follows close behind. In all my life I have never been afraid of a thunderstorm. To me it was simply beautiful, though I know that most people at some point in time in their lives were afraid of thunderstorms, some still are.
For those folks that do dash to the window, back porch, or even out to dance to the lightning and thunder (cause your mom's not there to stop you), I have a story for you.
I love the rain and I love lightning and thunder. Nothing will ever change that but a while ago I was shown just how much power there is in one of those storms that I sit out on the back porch watching with a coffee in hand (directing the flashes and booms). It was, I'll admit, frightening.
Every year me and the family, excluding mom, run off to a random lake for our annual camping trip. We had decided that, for a change of pace we would actually run off to a random lake the name of which escapes me. Lake McConaughy! There we go I caught it! We had set up shop and with our van now stuck in the sand we were set for our camping trip!
Of course we needed a big fire so I spent a lot of time gathering firewood as it got dark and finally we had a nice warm roaring fire in front of us. The heat rolling off of the crackling reddish-orange flames and the smell of hot dogs and season beef chunks and chicken wafting through the air around us it was a beautiful night. Embers flew into the darkness above the campfire and vanished before our very eyes, nature's own magicians. The water lapped upon the shoreline of the lake and added to the soothing sounds and feelings around us.
Eventually my two brothers went to bed. This was their second camping trip (they're four and nine) and our first without my sister. It was just me and my dad outside admiring the lighting storm across the bay and telling jokes. Some time had passed and dad had just gone to bed when a huge gust of wind nearly blew the campfire out. Though it failed at that it did manage to blow red hot coals everywhere. The wind continued and chairs were blown haphazardly around whilst the water cooler became a victim of the campfire remains.
I shouted for my father as the rain began to pour down around me and I scrambled to get the cooler out of the fire and the chairs somewhere safe. Dad and I hauled many things to the van then hurried back as the wind roared in our ears and the freezing rain stung our bodies wherever it hit. The lightning was continuous and we were surrounded by it. There was not a place in the sky that you could look without seeing those strobe light flashes. The thunder was deafening and loud enough to knock you over.
Dad and I sat outside our tents in the stinging rain holding our tents up or the force of the wind would have blow them both away, with both of my brothers inside. It was almost like being pelted with rocks standing out there and I was terrified.
I have never been afraid of thunderstorm in my life. I used to get stuck in tropical storms and hide out under a tree or a large bush until it passed. I love tornadoes and hurricanes but this was different. I wasn't alone. I had my two brothers there and all I could think was, 'what if they get hurt?'. They were frightened too and their tent was flooding so much the air mattresses were floating the water by morning.
A dangerous situation changes drastically when you have someone there whom you care deeply for. I would have been okay if it had just been me or my dad, heck even just me, but those were my baby brothers in there crying with only my dad to keep them from blowing away.
Ironic when you think about it. The very storm that we were admiring for its amazing beauty decides to turn our way and give us a hearty dose of its awesome power. I never took the time to realize how much power is in one of those storms until I was right in the middle of that power.
But you know what? I wouldn't trade that experience for the world. I'll leave you to sort out why, if you haven't figured it out already.