Thunderstorms

It's a paradox really.   How can something so beautiful be so destructive and deadly. 

I am aware that eight  people have died in Arkansas and Oklahoma over the last eight hours due to thunderstorms and the tornadoes they produce.    The families of those eight are mourning, and in no way am i minimizing their lost due to these storms.

But thunderstorms are fascinating, the way they begin, the way they grow.  I just love watching them.   This morning early, about 4 a.m., the rain was beating on the roof, the lightning was frequent, illuminating the otherwise dark room with flashes of light, like some sort of cosmic strobe. 

I just lay there on the bed taaking it all in as the thunder rattled the windows and seemingly the very foundation of the house.   I loved it   I remember when it would storm when I was a kid, opening the garage door, pulling up a lawn chair, and sitting in the garage and watching the approaching storm from my front row seat.

Several years ago, in October 2005, I saw my first real life tornado.  I had my camera and took several pictures of it.   No one one was in any imminent danger as the small vortex worked its way through what was left of a bean field.   What a rush that was.

I love watching thunderstorms, watching the lightning and hearing the thunder.  I know, I'm weird, but that is just the way I am.