As most of you know, there was a major tornado yesterday that destoyed a good portion of Windsor, CO, which is the town right down the road from us. The devastation reminded me of the tornado we had in 1982 in Marion, IL, when I was a kid. Tornados are not common in this part of Colorado so it took all of us by surprise.
A day car center was in the storm’s path, but all of the kids escaped unharmed, thank God. It reminds us all how precious our children are. I know for myself I hugged and kissed my babies more that day than usual, just glad they are still here. We all take for granted that our kids are safe when they are not with us but Nature can strike at any time and take that comfort from us. It is a good lesson to us all to always love our kids at every moment just in case the worst ever did happen.
We escaped with just our tallest pine tree in our yard as the only casualty. We put the tree back up and are praying that it survives. It is the favorite tree of our mastiff dogs (who love to lay in its shade) and my girls play make believe games under its branches. It is also a stalwart symbol in our lives that we currently look to for strength.
Nature gave us a powerful reminder of what is truly important in our lives–our friends, family, and precious children. As we reflect on our narrow escape, I hope we can put the mundane troubles of our lives behind us and concentrate on people. This is the lesson I gained from Nature’s fury. What is the lesson you learned?
