Yeah, I know, you've heard from me before about how I like big storms! I like blizzards and hurricanes, northeasters, tornadoes, and torrential rains! My heart quickens as soon as a severe storm warning comes over the airs. I'm afraid I'm one of those guys who doesn't have the common sense to stay indoors in this kind of weather either. I get an extreme case of cabin fever real quick and I need to go out and experience the weather face to face! Yeah I quess I'm sort of a storm sick-o - an extreme weather junkie! But before you judge me too harshly, let me explain that I'm not heartless. I worry about the safety of others. I'll be one of the first to start making phone calls to the ones I love to make sure they've done what they can to be prepared. And I do sympathize with those who have lost much to these storms, both in property damage and much worse through the loss of live of people close to them.

So what is it that gets my juices flowing so freely here? First of all, I love excitement! I love almost anything that gets my endrenoline pumped up: roller coasters, fast cars, zip lines, rappeling down the side of a mountain, leaning hard into a slalom ski behind a boat, etc., etc. So it only follows that dark rolling clouds, flashes of lightning, turbulent water would all bring on that same kind of rush. It's that feeling of not quite being in control that sharpen all of my senses!

In fact, that may be the biggest thing I like about the big storms - the fact that we're no longer in control. Man is an arrogant animal thinking that he can rule over the world and that everything is within his control and then something like Sandy comes along and we find out how insignificant we truely are. For at least a short period of time, we are truely humbled!

Violent weather tends also to bring out the best in people. Before Sandy arrived I started getting emails, texts and phone calls from friends around the country who knew that we were in Sandy's path. I assure you, that felt wonderful, knowing that people cared. But its during and after the storms that suddenly men and women who have been too busy with the business of everyday living are out there helping friends, neighbors and total strangers: some by assisting physically and sometimes by supporting the groups and organizations like the Red Cross. Everywhere ordinary people become heros, responding to someone in need. How can you not be moved by that?

I watched the special on tv last night about the aftermath of Sandy. The destruction indeed was beyond words, but with that destruction came proof that we Americans can respond quickly to help others and to do so we'll cross the boundaries that so often restrict us. For at least a little while, we can forget about our political, social, religious, racial differences and just allow ourselves to be human. And that my friend gives me hope.

Once again, I still think
Life is good!
Wood