Two of my daughters have lived through the harrowing reality of major hurricanes. During our years in Arkansas, tornadoes weren’t just a news headline; they were a recurring part of our lives. Because of that history, the latest announcement of a winter storm warning triggers a very specific, dual-layered emotional response in me.
On the one hand, the storm could be every bit as catastrophic as predicted. If that happens, we will hunker down, and Suzy’s trip to the grocery store for “essentials” will look like a stroke of genius. On the other hand, the storm might track North or simply fizzle out, leaving me to wonder why we endured two weeks of dire warnings for a “dusting.”
In our house, we have experienced the jagged edge of “terrible weather,” but we have also seen plenty of atmospheric “fizzles.” There is a superstitious side to preparation, too: it often feels as though if I don’t prepare, the storm will be a doozy, but if I do, it will be a non-event. It’s a classic case of Murphy’s Law applied to meteorology. Does it ever feel that way for you?
Preparing for the uncontrollable is a strange, necessary ritual. We don’t want to overreact to something completely outside our influence, yet failing to prepare is often the height of foolishness.
Whenever I find myself caught in this mental tug-of-war, I think of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. Throughout the story, he grapples with the weight of tradition versus the changing world, constantly pivoting his stance with the phrase, “On the other hand…”
Like Tevye, as I watch the radar and check the bread aisle, I am simply looking for that elusive “other hand.” I am looking for the right balance between traumatic memory and hopeful skepticism—between being ready for the worst and refusing to be paralyzed by the “what ifs.”
How does the often instantaneous availability of information about worldwide events impact our lives today?
A worthy inquiry. I write today about a shift that I think is occurring. What do you think as you contemplate the waves and enjoy the horizon?