Life’s Tornadoes
I was born, and lived for many years, in tornado country, but tornadoes always missed me. Several times tornadoes passed through where I had been, after I had gone elsewhere. One occaision was almost mind-blowing.
Sometime during the sixties a major tornado plowed a quarter-mile swath across Topeka, Kansas--where I had lived during the late fifties. Looking at the news, I supposed that it had surely taken out the house where I had once lived. A fewl years later, on vacation I drove through Topeka, so decided to drive past my former home. Imagine my surprise to find it still standing--looking just as worn as it always had--and flanked on both sides with brand-new homes!
Another time, a small tornado went through the family farm--several years after I had left home. This has been going on for so many years that I firmly believe that tornadoes cannot occur in my presence--that somehow my presence protects any place where I am.
Apparently, I passed this on to at least one of my children. A few years ago, my son and family planned to attend an in-law family reunion in San Angelo, TX. Beforehand, he was grousing about their holding it on Saturday of a 3-day weekend, as Sunday would have been easier for those who had to travel.
The reunion was held on Saturday, after which my son and family went on to San Antonio. On Sunday a tornado passed through San Angelo, accompanied by hail that did considerable damage to some relatives' cars. When next I saw him, I asked my son whether he figured out why the reunion was on Saturday. When he looked puzzled, I explained that they could not have a tornado with him in San Angelo!
Thinking back, I may have set this up in childhood. My birth family was highly dysfunctional and, discussing it with a sibling, I once said that it was like living in an emotional tornado. It was then that I learned to live "in the eye" of the tornado, where it is always calm and peaceful.
I share this image in the hope that others will find it useful. Certainly, according to the news media, we live in a time of recurring emotional tornadoes. If we can learn to live peacefully within such times, it may be that we can radiate our peace outward. If enough of us choose to do it, perhaps we can crowd discord right off the Earth!
Sometime during the sixties a major tornado plowed a quarter-mile swath across Topeka, Kansas--where I had lived during the late fifties. Looking at the news, I supposed that it had surely taken out the house where I had once lived. A fewl years later, on vacation I drove through Topeka, so decided to drive past my former home. Imagine my surprise to find it still standing--looking just as worn as it always had--and flanked on both sides with brand-new homes!
Another time, a small tornado went through the family farm--several years after I had left home. This has been going on for so many years that I firmly believe that tornadoes cannot occur in my presence--that somehow my presence protects any place where I am.
Apparently, I passed this on to at least one of my children. A few years ago, my son and family planned to attend an in-law family reunion in San Angelo, TX. Beforehand, he was grousing about their holding it on Saturday of a 3-day weekend, as Sunday would have been easier for those who had to travel.
The reunion was held on Saturday, after which my son and family went on to San Antonio. On Sunday a tornado passed through San Angelo, accompanied by hail that did considerable damage to some relatives' cars. When next I saw him, I asked my son whether he figured out why the reunion was on Saturday. When he looked puzzled, I explained that they could not have a tornado with him in San Angelo!
Thinking back, I may have set this up in childhood. My birth family was highly dysfunctional and, discussing it with a sibling, I once said that it was like living in an emotional tornado. It was then that I learned to live "in the eye" of the tornado, where it is always calm and peaceful.
I share this image in the hope that others will find it useful. Certainly, according to the news media, we live in a time of recurring emotional tornadoes. If we can learn to live peacefully within such times, it may be that we can radiate our peace outward. If enough of us choose to do it, perhaps we can crowd discord right off the Earth!
posted by Alice Miller @ 8:45 AM
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