Secret Storms

Thunder rumbles into my small piece of the world as lightning races across the midnight sky backlighting rain wrapped tornados. Waves of water deluge the earth; gusts of wind pick up speed; and debris swirls in the midst of the storm. Havoc and chaos form twin torpedoes of destruction and hurl their insults upon the vulnerable.

People can wreak harm as swiftly as tornados breaking free from the clouds and suddenly take that which is not their own. Words aimed with the certainty of missiles to the heart cause the innocent to collapse or fall slowly to private deaths. Thoughtless, careless acts, witnessed by others in the briefest of moments, expose the cold and calloused hearts of the ignorant and illuminate their transgressions.

We can run to our shelters for escape or we can stand exposed to life-- taking chances, living by faith and looking for love. Staring down the storms with open eyes teaches us where to seek refuge and how to gain strength. We learn how to look through howling winds. We touch the source of fury because it first touched us and then we refuse to budge. All that is good and kind, merciful and forgiving, thoughtful and true cannot be wrenched out of our souls. And when the rainbow arches across the sky in shimmering pastels of soft pinks and greens, we will be among kindred spirits racing through the dew wearing grass stained jeans.