Blessed for Certain...

Words cannot describe disaster until one lays eyes upon it. It is in the mere seconds you step foot on the battlefield that mother nature clearly won, that you see how fragile life can be. As I walked onto a field of torn limbs, unrecognizable homes, and fragments of strangers lives, I held back tears. Pictures; once happy memories were scattered in pieces, wrapped around foundations that no longer held drywall. Cars that once excelarrated to 60 mph on the interstate, moved 60 mph with the tornado and scattered across peoples yards. Sadly enough, Easter baskets and car seats remained intact. These things could be seen through tattered, smashed windows. Despite this damage, people worked; searching for any possession that was salvagable. That's the thing about disaster. The important no longer seems important. The 50 in. plasma television? The new leather couch? The new car? These THINGS, well thats exactly what they are. Things. None of these things can come close to the eyes of the firefighter who has to search for those who are missing. These things can not come close to the tears that fall from loved ones eyes once they  realize their son, their daughter, mother, father, friend, is not coming back.

Disaster. Does anyone truly understand the meaning of disaster? It was not until I faced disaster, that I clearly saw what was before me. Yet here I write, confused, feeling somewhat detatched. Do I really understand what is going through their minds? Did I ever? So often in life we take things for granted. And I am guilty of doing so. On more than one occasion, even since the storms entered AL, GA, and TN, I have worried about missing work and not getting paid. I admit, I am ashamed of this. I am one of the lucky ones with a roof over my head, electricity, and food in my belly. Why as humans, are we perpetually making the irrelevant--relevant? There is no rhyme nor reason; just an exucse to hear our own voices as we complain about NOTHING. Mundane, I admit, and shameful. Disaster.  Again I must ask, what do we really know about disaster?

Ironically, as I stood in line at the grocery store days before, I thought to myself, "what would we do if something really bad happened?" Now, I suppose you are wondering why I would think such a thing, but this question arose as I read headlines from the National Inquirer. The National Inquirer in itself, is a publication of falsehood. I sincerely doubt that aliens are taking over the brains of infants. But, for some reason I asked myself, "What would we do if something really bad happened?" Unfortunatley this is a trick question. And after seeing the devastation from these storms, it is completley safe to say that many do not know. BUT they keep moving, and hold onto the one thing, that glimmers the slighest bit of hope. And that is FAITH. 

As I hugged a woman whom I had never met, she smiled and said "It was nice to meet you darling." And she thanked the Lord for keeping her home on the ground. At that moment my heart grew. How does anyone SMILE, after such tragedy hits? The answer? Faith.

I must admit, I am guilty of not going to church as much as I should and I rarely pray unless I truly need salvation. I am not being a good Christian, and despite my lack of faith at time I am truly blessed. It was upon leaving Ms. Dee's home, that my heart filled with faith. A smile, changed my perspective. Hope, despite tragedy, changed my perspective. 

Words alone cannot describe what I saw with my two eyes yesturday. Words alone cannot describe the emotion of every person involved in this storm. However, my words can provide a means of understanding. My words alone, can change YOUR perspective and help you see that the mundane things we complain about are nothing compared to disaster. Mother nature may have inflicted a major road block, but faith can turn this all around. Faith will keep us alive. God Bless!