Surviving the storm...

Sometimes a storm comes in many different forms...sometimes it's an actual, literal storm or, in my case, it is a storm of negative events that have come through my world in the last week.

It seemed that things started out so smoothly, as a matter of fact it started out great. New people in my world, ones that brought stability, peace, and a future. There are also those who have held my hand throughout the last year, hugged and held me, braved the rocky shores and rode the waves with me...these people are my foundation, my rock. Then came the storm in two gigantic waves. The first blew me over, sweeping my feet from underneath, sucking the air from my lungs, making it hard to breathe. Everywhere around seemed gloomy and fractured, confusing and unsteady. Grasping for those around me, grappling with information that makes no sense, has no rhyme or reason. After sleepless nights and a sense of helplessness fading, the second storm hits, this one coming from the side, totally unexpected. A small and shining light made dim, a star dulled by the storm. Once beaming, the star flickers in the dusky light.

How we respond to these storms truly shows what we are made of...crumbling and wilting or standing strong, ready to shelter those less fortunate or weaker. Together we make up a lean-to shelter, providing a safe haven for all who need. Storms may come and go over the years, but how we emerge...that is the real story.