Yesterday morning I woke up to the sound of my cell phone vibrating repetitively against my bedside table. I barely had the time to pick it up and read that there was a tornado warning issued before the tornado siren a few miles away started going off.
It was startling to wake up that way, but we jumped up and gathered our littles and Miss Sophie and made our way back to my closet–our safe place in our home.
I have been remiss. This is not something we had prepared for or practiced.
Also, my closet was kind of a mess. And it was dark in there.
Still we squeezed in and waited while the Fella checked news reports. It sounded like the worst of it was a couple of miles north, but we weren’t sure when we would be safe to leave the closet.
Sitting there holding Miss Sophie, gently rubbing her fur to keep her calm, our Princess said, “You know, I know this is scary, but it’s really kind of exciting all at the same time, isn’t it?”
Ummmm, well, yeah, I guess that might be an understatement, but okay.
Huddled close on my left was Cooter. He was shaking. When I’d gone in his room, the siren had already awakened him. He was afraid we were being bombed, bless him. And though he knew that wasn’t the case, he understood the real threat of a tornado, and it had him very anxious.
After a few minutes of our Princess talking about things like how they are never allowed in my closet (one word–Christmas) and how she really hopes I will move some things around before we have to do this again, we got the all clear from the Fella. The meteorologist said the storm had moved to the east of us, and so the rain would be coming soon.
And it did.
That whole time, I’d been holding Cooter and rubbing his knee. I don’t know why, but that’s what I did. He was still pretty shaken when we finally emerged.
We spent the rest of the morning hearing about the damage and checking on folks we love and care about. Round two of the storm hit in the afternoon. We were very fortunate, and other than losing power for about thirty seconds, we had no issues. I am thankful.
I learned a lot from that storm. I need to have emergency plans for all of the emergencies, and we need to practice them. No joke. I KNEW this, but I hadn’t taken it seriously I guess. Day to day life carried on, and I didn’t make it a priority. That will change now.
I also learned something about people. Our Princess can be so sensitive about so many things, but in the midst of the storm, she kept her cool, and after her initial reaction, carried on as usual. I think she just trusted that everything would be okay. She has a quiet strength that we tend to overlook in the midst of her butterfly personality. On the other hand, Cooter has reached the age where he is trying to be tough. He will find things to laugh or joke about in a heartbeat, and he’s really clever and very funny. I do get glimpses of his sensitive side, but never more so than yesterday. He was concerned, and all of the potential outcomes ran through his mind.
Turns out strength can come from where you least expect it. And so can tender hearts.
Giving thanks for moments in the dark and those who hold me close when we are there, and even more so for the light that greets us when we come out.
Love to all.
I Might Need A Nap 
Especially the light that greets you after you come out of the dark — wonderful words, indeed.