From Kohava (Mrs. Sacks)

What to Do When Lighting Strikes

Have you ever been caught in a thunder storm? 

I don’t mean snug in your little cocoon of a car, with rain sluicing off the windshield.  I don’t mean safe on your front porch watching the windblown sky.  I don’t mean dashing down the street for the protection of the nearest doorway.  I mean out.  Really out.  In the wind, in the rain, and the thunder, with lightning striking all around. 

Have you ever been there?

Once I was. 

Out walking, my dog Jenny and I, along forested trails.  The sky grew dimmer and the wind came up.  At first it was thrilling to be out in it.  Day turned to dusk.  Tall trees tossed their branches and the wind cooled my sweat. 

The storm came on quickly.  Rain came pouring down.  Too far to turn back, too far to go on, I was soon soaked through.  Lightning began flashing overhead.  Jenny ran on ahead as far as she could, pulling at her leash, urging me along.  I saw that if she were free she would be gone.  Surrounded by tall trees, but with nowhere to hide, I pushed on as fast as I was able, feeling the stress in my legs and lungs, racing for the picnic shelter half a mile on.

I felt fear in my gut as the lightening moved in closer around us, flashing on every side.  I saw the panic in Jenny’s eyes, felt her agony at my slowness.  I began to pray.  The real kind.  Where you are just asking for help this one time.   Powerless in the face of the storm, I felt rooted down to the ground in awareness of my smallness.  

My knee did not give out and we did make it to shelter.  Jenny hid under the table, and under my legs, shivering, as we waited out the storm until the skies cleared and the lightening passed.  I felt thankful, and chastened.

When we got home I googled ‘what to do in a lightning storm’ and this is what I learned.  You’ve got to seek a proper shelter.  It must be grounded, just any old tree won’t do.  If the tree happens to be struck while you’re standing under it, you’re likely to be struck to.  Electricity can travel through the tree, and on into the ground, and then up into you if you’re standing close by. 

If you can’t find shelter, the best thing to do is move away from cover, away from those tempting trees.  Put yourself out into the wide open, and then get small, as small as you can.  Squat down low and curl your arms up over head and knees to form a ball, so if you do chance to get struck by lightning, the current can travel completely through you, and on back into the ground, leaving you shocked, frightened, but still in one piece…

Have you ever been caught in a life storm?

I don’t mean the upheavals each day brings, or the unceasing struggles to make ends meet.  I don’t mean the hectic pace of an overly demanding job, or the pressure and strain of impending events.  I mean caught.  Really caught.  Caught up in forces completely out of your control.  Caught up in chaos, inside and out. 

Have you ever been there?

Once I was.

Awhile back, there was year when our family experienced one disaster after another.  The universe seemed almost to be intent on breaking us. 

Both my husband and I lost our long term jobs over one summer, along with the school we had helped build and a life surrounded by students we loved.  Our own girls became commuters, off to distant schools, far from friends.

Out walking my dog one afternoon that fall, I slipped and fell in the street, breaking my kneecap and adding injury to my already seriously injured leg.  Surgery followed, then physical therapy and long days on my own.  Everyone out of the house.  Everyone on their own.

In the winter of that year our house caught fire.  My sweet, sweet dog Amy was killed.  Our family was out celebrating the holidays but she was home alone.  We were thankful to be safe but we were devastated. 

I began to pray then.  The real kind.  Where you are just asking the Master of the Universe to help you get through one more time.  I felt broken down to the ground in my smallness and powerless in the face of my uncertainty, my fear and my grief.

Later that spring we moved out of a hotel and into temporary housing.  Just off the freeway, noise and fumes.  Stained carpet and cavernous empty rooms.  We lost touch with each other a little more, as I slipped further into my own heartache.  After awhile we moved away altogether, packing into a big old van all we had salvaged from our old home, our old life.  We started over. 

We did make it through after a time.  The strength of our family bonds held together.  When I look back on it all now I feel chastened and small, and I feel thankful.  

I’ve thought a lot about what to do when catastrophe strikes.  You’ve got to seek proper guidance.  It must be grounded in wisdom, just any old advice won’t do.  Know that if someone you are close to is struck, you’re likely to be struck too.  It’s as if shock, grief and fear can travel through the ones you love, and on into the ground, then up into you if you’re standing close by.

When you can’t find shelter in life, the best thing to do is move away from cover, away from tempting distractions and justifications.  Put yourself out into the wide open, and then get small, as small as you can.  Bend down low to the ground, cover your head, so if you do chance to get struck by lightning, the current can travel completely through you, and on back into the ground, leaving you shocked, frightened, but still in one piece…

Let the awesome forces of life rain down on you, wash over you, and humble you.  After awhile you will find your new place in the scheme of things, and then you can move on.  Put your trust in the smallness of a humbled heart and a searching soul.  Put yourself out into hands of the great wide open.