I can now officially say I've experienced a tornado and luckily emerged unharmed. Many cannot say the same. Recently, my town was hit with an unexpected tornado that came and went in a matter of minutes but left destruction and devastation that will take months to repair. It is difficult to describe in words my feelings while driving home from work on what was supposed to be a normal Tuesday evening. My usual 20 minute commute turned into 90 minutes of navigating around fallen trees, severed power lines, telephone poles, and people examining the extensive damage.

I eventually made it home to find my house in one-piece, feeling so thankful as I passed so many almost completely demolished by fallen trees. I could not believe the damage that surrounded me and effected all of my neighbors and community members. The only problem was that my house was without power, and it would take multiple days to repair. As I worried about my phone and laptop battery dying and my inability to watch Netflix or TV, I thought about the other people in my neighborhood that lost their entire house to this storm. Then I thought about the people in Puerto Rico who are still without power, almost two months after their catastrophe.

Suddenly, my house not having power was so minuscule and unimportant in the grand scheme of the situation. My family and I were safe, and that is all that should matter. Instead of focusing my thoughts on the small list of things I lost (power), I am focusing on the long list that others lost and what I can do to help them. I can offer my house as a shelter to those who need it, as the weather is mild enough so AC and heat are not necessities. Although the food in my refrigerator and freezer are beginning to go bad, I have a pantry full of snacks that I can bring to my neighbors or the utility workers who are out in the rain all day and night working to rebuild our community. At the very least, I can send good thoughts and wishes to those effected, hoping that they are all safe and unharmed despite losing material objects such as cars, parts of their house, or yard.

The moral of this article/story is that it took an event as scary and destructive as a tornado to make me realize how truly blessed and fortunate I am everyday. I want to instill the same inspiration to others who may have a somewhat clouded perspective, to think of what so many have lost and how they can potentially help. I hope that everyone emerges from either this situation or a similar one, with a more thankful and gracious attitude towards their own life and wishes good fortune on those who need it a little more.