The Storm

Ever thought about a hurricane on the ocean?  I mean really thought about it.  There's this lovely, calm ocean with its pretty currents and waves, glistening shades of blues and whites and silver-grays in the beautiful sunshine .. slowly, ominous clouds begin to gather on the horizon .. the wind begins to blow a bit more forcefully whipping the currents and waves into harsher forms and darkening the color of the previously lovely blue-gray water .. thunder comes rolling in, drowning what was once the calming sound of the water .. eventually the sea and sky are whipped into such a frenzy with the wind, the thunder, the rain, and the lightning that it's all one big chaotic entity of possible catastrophe for anything that happens to be still there.  As the eye of the storm passes, there's momentary calm and sunshine .. surrounded by terrifying forms of clouds and darkness .. then chaotic seas and skies merge again as one.  Slowly, the wind begins to die down, the rain begins to fall more softly, and the seas begin to calm .. imperceptibly at first maybe, but eventually the storm passes completely by and the glistening sea with its beautiful colors, calm currents and waves, and lovely sunshine reigns again.  But now there's a change.  The air, the sky, and the sea are even more beautiful than before because the storm has cleared everything that blocked or marred the ultimate beauty away.

Life is kind of like that, isn't it?  There are so many times that it just seems that we're surrounded by this ultimate storm, making a chaotic catastrophe out of what we once saw as beautiful and calm.  Its crazy, it's ominous, and it's angry, and you don't know which direction to turn because the wind is constantly whipping you in horrible circles and directions.  Eventually though, after you've passed through the eye and ridden those terrifying waves of seemingly unending changes with their death-defying drops, the winds slowly die down, the rain falls more softly, the seas calm.  Finally, if you've held on long enough, you'll come out on the other side of the storm, to its glistening seas, easy currents and waves, its beautiful sunny skies .. and somehow the air seems clearer and the sights seem more beautiful.  Maybe it's because you held on and made it through so you have a clearer appreciation .. maybe it's because all the tragedy cleared everything away that marred or blocked your appreciative vision, like a cleansing of sorts .. maybe it's a combination of both those things.

Storms have their purpose, they cleanse the air.  Both the ones in nature, and the ones in life.  I personally am just going to keep on beliving in that crystal clear air and calm and sunshine .. no storm lasts forever, even though some are bigger than others, but all of them have their "other side".

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress