Yesterday I spent most of the day watching storms develop and ravage towns on the Weather Channel. These storms "hit" me hard emotionally. Since my son has passed away the well-being of others has began to mean even more to me than it did before. I cannot express the load of negative emotions I felt yesterday as I watched a huge tornado live rip through Dallas. I watched moment by moment this tornado destroy people's homes and cars.. all these people know. Now, their reality has changed... much like mine did.. only in a different situation. I had goosebumps all over. It was very hard for me to see my new friends who live in Dallas post on their facebooks about how they were terrified their home would be next... how they had just tried to take cover from those vicious storms.. and then the aftermath... homes destroyed.. whole neighborhoods destroyed. Every single story brought tears to my eyes.
This is an example of the homes destroyed beyond recognition in Dallas.
The first tornado to hit was in a Dallas suburb called Lancaster. I watched as it sucked up these big truck trailers and tossed them hundreds of feet... it is only by the Grace of God that no one was killed or injured. My dad drives a big truck... luckily he doesn't drive for this company and was not in this area... but him driving a truck makes this a little more personal. I hope that no one was in these trucks in the yard or
in their cars in the parking lot. I would have been beside myself if I was watching the company my dad worked for get demolished by such a beast of a storm.
Once the storm cleared this is what the Schneider Freight Yard looked like:
It is relatively funny to me how in one instant one's perspective can change. Before yesterday I thought I was in a pretty bad situation.. it has been almost 2 months since I lost my sweet baby boy. 2 months since I held him, kissed him and almost 2 months since his funeral. However, these people just lost their homes, their livelihood... now I don't feel so bad... I would say in this moment, these people have it worse than I do. I still have a home to go to. I still have the luxury of driving my car... thousands of people now don't have this.
The residents of Dallas and the surrounding areas are now possibly worrying about where they will stay in the coming days and weeks... worrying about how to pay for repairs to their homes... worrying about how they will pay for somewhere to stay and food to feed their children... possibly their infants. I can't imagine being in a situation like this.
My thoughts and prayers are with each of you who are victims of this storm. I am so very grateful that up to this point there have been no injuries or deaths reported. Our Lord is mighty and awesome!
Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
