Light(ning)

I love storms and especially a summer evening storm. Those are the best. I love to sit on a porch or by an open window and just take in a summer storm.  Its very claming and clears my head. There is just something familiar about the beating of the rain, the warm sweet smell in the air, and the rattling thunder.  A summer storm moves through me, brings me back to center. It brings power and life and I just love it.

 And most of all,  I like to watch the lightning. I realize lightning  is what scares some people the most about storms. Lightning is something to treat with enormous respect and I definitely do; but I usually don't find it scary. Its empowering. 

Here is the thing about lightning--it lights up the dark. Sure, its powerful and can be very dangerous but it shows you the world is still here. A quick flash of light that  illuminates trees, buildings, and clouds. Its a reassurance, a guide, and maybe even a promise. 

This week we have had a storm almost every night. Tonight, I was sitting on my porch watching. I was thinking about why I love storms so much and a strange thought popped into my head. Its a little under-developed but just go with me. 

Struggles in life are like lightning. 

The struggles we face deserve respect. If we do not approach our struggles with respect and a healthy amount of fear, they can be deadly. At the first sign of a struggle, some people grab their security blanket and head for the closet to hide it out. But I think there is a better approach. 

I don't like to struggle --who does? -- but lately I have been looking at struggles a little different and I realized they are like lightning. These struggles are giving flashes of who I am. Reminding me whats inside.  Yes, its hard and scary and maybe even a little dangerous, but there is beauty in it all.

  Storms, either literal summer storms or storms in life are dark. We crave the light, to see what is around us. Lightning  is still light. Its just not how most of us expect to recieve it. We can't avoid the storms. We need summer storms to bring life--so things can grow and thrive. We also can't avoid storms in life. They make us stronger and better in the end. And even though its hard, the sturggles we face light our path, remind us of who we are and assure us that our world will be st standing when its done. Just like lightning.