Nature Strikes

I was able to witness a massive heat lightning storm a few weeks ago that left me awestruck. Abby, Carol, and I watched it from our balcony, and I was able to record a good chunk of it. One of the lightning strikes is pictured below. There were claps of light that lit up the entire sky to a light periwinkle shade, and then other times where it was pitch black, but a giant white lightning strike severed through the skyline.

Storms can be beautiful and leave us with breathtaking rainbows or striking heat lightning storms to admire. However, this past week, many Floridians faced a strike of natural disaster from a major storm – category 4 Hurricane Ian. It was devastating to look at the footage of the aftermath that the west coast of Florida faced post-hurricane. The storm even continued up the east coast and affected many more states, which is so awful. This hurricane was even more forceful than Hurricane Katrina, and was deemed one of the top 10 most powerful storms Florida has endured. I am a newer Floridian, and am beyond thankful my town was not in the direct path of the hurricane because I live minutes from the coast. I easily could have been in the same position of panic that many others were in. So many lives were lost this past week, along with properties and belongings. I pray for peace, comfort, and strength to all of those who were affected by the storm. May those who are no longer with us rest in eternal peace. Due to storm surges, sharks, alligators, fish, etc. were seen swimming along industrial roads because the waves brought them deep into towns, and boats were piled up on top of each other amid horrific flooding on land.

These storms are a force of nature and when they strike land, so much damage can ensue. Natural disasters are out of our control, which leaves everybody scared and hopeless aside from seeking safety if it is within reach. It is unexplainable why such bad events happen, but it is the outlook and attitude carried on afterwards that matters most. It is all about leaning on those around you for help and knowing things will get better even when in the moment, it may not seem it. Those who are affected are grieving right now, and it is our job to treat others how we would want to be treated in a time of need. It is going to take a long time for those affected to recover, get back on their feet, find new homes and belongings, and return to a sense of normalcy. We all have the ability to make the process a little bit easier for those affected in different ways. Take the opportunity to donate money to relief funds or volunteer and help out if you are close by to the affected areas. If you are unable to donate funds or yourself physically, then take the time to pray for those who need a blanket of comfort. Love and empathy are always welcome.

It is always important to take the time to appreciate what you have and that you were able to wake up and live another day. Not everyone is as lucky. Extending a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand, or words of sympathy are needed in devastating times like these. Let’s do our part to build up the world, as you never know when roles may be reversed, and you will then be in a position of looking for the same kind of assistance. Always be sure to make the world a better place in any way you can.

Remember to stay humble and kind, always!

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xo –Jess