Storms

Its a terrible way to be awakened. Tornado Sirens going off. Sleep stubborn to leave and awareness rather shaky, its 3 in the morning. Where are my clothes, my shoes ? I need to call Melanie, tell her to head to the shelter...The siren continues, you can hear the sound turning. Emery is dressed, I am still searching for my shoes. Within a couple minutes we are in the car, driving down the road to the shelter, Melanie and Casi are just ahead of us on the road. There must be over 100 people in one huge room, spilling over to the hallway and then into the chapel. We are in the woman's dorm of the university down the road. Sleepy, pajama clad young ladies look frightened, and the chatter is loud and punctuated by nervous laughs.

Mei-Ling in her sleepers, smiles at everyone. The rest of us look dazed as if we haven't fully awakened. You can hear the wind in the pauses in conversation. Prayer is offered, one young girl is reading her Bible under a table, with her pillow on her lap.

No one is thinking about their possessions, being alive is the important thing.

Just before 5 we head home, the all clear is given. Emery and I sit on the sofa together watching the weather updates, hoping to settle down and find that place of sleepiness within us.

Nature teaches me things, wisdom for life is found so many times in the natural world. The storms this morning a good example. Storms come and go. They blow through. Some leaving destruction in their wake. You become just part of the scenery, its not your energy that caused the storm or any of the destruction. It got me thinking...

When I was growing up, our meal times were often less about the food and more about the conversation. My mother and grandmother were both super intelligent, the MENSA variety. They would start a debate, we would all get involved and someone always picked up the position of "devils advocate". We would agree, disagree, see things in a new light, get animated trying to prove our own points, laugh a bit half way through the conversation, realizing our zeal was for something we may not even really believe in, just we were debating. No one ever came away from the table mad at someone. It wasn't the person we disagreed with, but maybe an idea they held, or their opinion. I never realized what a gift my family gave me by teaching me that, you can disagree with others ideas, opinions, what they believe is their truth, but never stoop so low in our disagreement, that we loose the most important aspect of life, to love one another as you love yourself. Agree to disagree.

I can't think of any word I might write that has more value than peace. No word I write is anything more than just that, a word to describe what I feel, what I think. Its not meant as some deep profound truth, how bold I would be to even assume that ! I have no problem taking away something that causes someone else to loose their personal peace. Removing it from my blog is simply that. It doesn't mean I no longer feel that way or believe that way, it just is taking away the power of a storm I have not created.

"Genuine peace of mind is rooted in affection and compassion. There is a very high level of sensitivity and feeling involved. So long as we lack inner discipline, an inner calmness of mind, then no matter what external facilities or conditions we may have, they will never give us the feeling of joy and happiness that we seek. On the other hand, if we possess this inner quality, that is, calmness of mind, a degree of stability within, then even if we lack various external facilities that are normally considered necessary for a happy and joyful life, it is still possible to live a happy and joyful life."

The Dalai Lama

"Healing Anger" page 9

Photos from the moment of peace this morning, after the storms have passed.