Taking Shelter and Letting Go: Tornadoes and Teachers
Photo by Raychel Sanner.
Monday night I spent 90 minutes underneath my house during multiple tornado warnings. It was a very strange experience as a colleague I haven’t seen or talked to for over 10 years had just arrived to spend the night. I gave her a short tour of the amazing house my husband built. And then, as we looked out over the pine trees from the rooftop deck…the emergency notices on my phone showed up, “TAKE SHELTER immediately!”
My parents had a tornado rip through their farm when I was an adult. And as a child I remember looking out the window briefly to get a look at a tornado nearby and our very old boxelder tree splitting under the winds. It was green outside and very scary. I can still feel my heart beating wildly. Fortunately, we had a basement. In TX, our home is in a flood plain on very sandy land. No basement.
My colleague and I grabbed tarps and blankets, moved underneath the house, and sat up against cement footing posts to block any flying debris. She was calm, collected, and unnerved. I was a bit anxious, embarrassed, and confused. Was I overreacting? Did she see what a mess it was under our home? Was I doing the right thing? Even my dog Ruby, while a bit worried, stayed calm and cuddled up as the winds howled, the thunder rumbled, and the rain poured. After about an hour, the sky cleared a bit, but we still were receiving ongoing tornado warnings. We ran up to grab some food and a bottle of wine and had a little picnic as we waited out the warnings.
I look back at the experience this morning and noticed that I was learning from my teachers around me. As I loosened my grip on the emotions I was holding tightly, I was able to be attentive and present to the beauty and lessons of the moment. I could be calm and prepared, and the same weather would happen. I could rest my shoulders and enjoy the adventure of having a “basement” picnic.
Who were my teachers? One teacher was my colleague’s presence to what was, not resisting, not pushing…just being present. Another teacher was my pup, Ruby, who breathed slowly, cuddled up to me, and did not get agitated or fussy. As I felt their presence, I was able to let go of some of the narrative rumbling in my head: Was my colleague judging me? Was I doing the right thing? Was I overreacting? Was I prepared enough? As I let down the wall of worry, I started to see the beauty and joy in the moment. Sure, I was still a little on edge, but I could feel my body relaxing into the moment. My colleague and Ruby’s energy set the tone and permeated me.
What energy are you giving off in times of chaos or urgency? Are you calm? Are you agitated? Are you trying to control the situation? Take a deep breath, be present and accept what is happening, and then make a wise choice of action from a centered place. Notice what happens and your impact…on yourself and those around you. The tornadoes will still come, you will still protect yourself, but you will hopefully do it with a grace and strength that is only found when you are centered.