It might be hard to imagine that a night spend huddled on the floor, shivering, basked in the cold blue light of phone screens and flashlights, listening to the wind howling outside, and trying to forget about the fact that any second our building could be crushed by a falling tree, would be one of the greatest memories from my freshman year at college. But that night, exactly a year ago, it kind of was. Because it was also a night we spent together as a family, pooling together what little food we had, singing worship songs, watching movies, playing games, and telling stories.
For the residents of Ballard (and Mac), the oldest residence halls on campus, situated right across from the loop, where the majority of trees fell, the Whitworth windstorm of 2015 was a different kind of scary. I will never forget standing on the steps of Ballard, watching as a tree was ripped from the ground, literally feeling the ground shake and the building quiver. Running inside and trying not to think about how many trees were close to the building, but not being able to tear my eyes away from the windows. The power went out shortly after, and I couldn’t help feeling as if the residents of other dorms had it lucky.
As rough as the situation was, however, we made the best of it. And it was fun, I’m not going to lie. There was something surreal about that night. We weren’t allowed to leave the building, not that any of us wanted to, and so we spent the night hanging out together, trying to forget about the impending natural disaster, and instead enjoying each other’s company and worshipping God. No one could see very well, but we all hung out in the lounge, pooling whatever food we had together for dinner, talking, singing, and being there for each other. It felt like an apocalyptic dystopian novel, huddled around a fire while the world crashes and burns around us. And in a way, that’s a lot like what it was.
Waking up the next day to a gorgeous sunny day outside, walking out into the still dark hallway, and surveying the intense damage to the campus felt like a strange dream. Seeing how close so many of the trees came to hitting us, how much of my beautiful campus looked like a war torn battlefield, how much debris littered every walkway and path, and how difficult it even was to get around, was insane. And when the announcement came that we were to evacuate our dorms, any fun or excitement from the adventure went out the window.
I was scared. I didn’t want to leave, but I didn’t have a choice. I stayed off campus that night with friends who had no power either, but I don't think a hot shower and a meal has ever felt so good. We were able to move back in the next day, to my utter relief, and it truly did feel like coming home.
The entire experience was a bit scary, a bit fun, very exciting, and certainly quite memorable. But there was one thing in particular that just really stuck in my mind. One of my most vivid memories of that night was singing the song My Everything by Owl City as we worshipped together in the height of the storm. The lyrics to the bridge go:
“When trouble comes and goes, and when the cold wind blows, I lift my hands up, I lift my hands up. When sorrow knocks me down, and you pick me off the ground, I lift my hands up.”
I remember singing those words and not only thinking, “Wow, these are pretty fitting for our situation,” but realizing just how meaningful they really were. How meaningful it was that here we were in the middle of a storm and we were worshiping God together. How even when things are crashing down around us, whether that is figuratively or literally, God is still in control. Life isn’t predictable. We can plan all we want, but things happen. Life happens. Crazy things happen. Crazy, unexpected, terrifying, exciting things. That’s just life. And through it all, God’s still there. He’s there to pick you up off the ground.
It’s so comforting to me to know that even in a terrifying situation like a windstorm, I was able to have a wonderful time. Through both the love and support of my fantastic dorm community, through the friends and family I have here at Whitworth, and through the grace of God and His protection, the 2015 windstorm will forever be one of the most impactful, exciting, terrifying, and fantastic memories of my time here at school.
