Life after the storm.

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Boy was it was howling last night. Wind, rain, thunder, lightening, a mess to be sure, and now the clean up.  They say there's a silver lining to every black thunder cloud, do you agree?  For those who are forced to clean up after a major storm there is always a bit of trepidation as one never knows what one is going to find when they wake up after a big storm.  What I want to provide you today is a different way of looking at the storms of life, and maybe then you  might pick up a new way of seeing things, thereby picking up a new way of doing things, and then a new way of receiving things.

Storms, for the most part, are never fun.  I've been in blizzards, rain storms, wind storms, and without exception there is always an element of concern.  Concern over damage, concern over being displaced, and for some the worry that this might be the end.  Although storms may come and go throughout your life, there is a way of countering the effect of these storms, and that is what I really, really, really want you to look at today.  There are so many people who automatically claim that storms are bad in general, and they will never see the benefit to any of them.  There are others who look at a storm, be it actual or simply an example of what many go through in life, and they see it as a challenge to be won, and because of this mentality, most of the time they do win the competition.

You really have only two choices when storms come.  You can sit back and let things play out, or you can be proactive and take measures to keep damage as minimal as possible.  For those who sit back and do nothing, they have no choice but to wait things out and let the chips fall where they may.  If you are the type to take things on, they you are already looking for an exit strategy, safety aspects, and life after the storm.  Which type of person are you?  It would be great if we never had to face the storms of life, but just like you will never be able to stop mother nature from unleashing her will upon the earth, you will have to deal with the storms of life.  I've run from these storms more times then I would like to admit, but I have learned to face the storms when they come, and more often then not the end result is not nearly as bad as was first expected.

Let me give you a little golden nugget to chew on this morning, and if you are wise, you will use this information for all future storms be they from mother nature, or just life's way of keeping you on the straight and narrow.  If you can find the newness that arrives after each storm, embrace the newness, and openly be thankful for the lessons learned, then you will be able to face each storm, and in some cases stop the storm before it is able to form.  More often then not we look at the damage that might come from a storm: tree limbs down, power outages, and general malaise for those who are suffering the effects of a large storm.  The mistake most people make is they are looking at the past, and not the future.  Face it, if a tree limb has been brought down, is there anyway for you to put it back up?  If the city or town you live in just got 36 inches of snow, are you going to be able to snap your finger and make it all go away?  The answer to both these questions is no.  No the limb won't go back on the tree, and no, there is no way you are going to rid yourself of 36 inches of snow over night.  Instead of looking at what you can't do, look at those things you can do.  There is something beautiful about walking outside after a big storm and seeing the sun out and realizing that as bad as things may have been the night before, you are still here, and you get the chance to fix up a few things.

Maybe that tree that came down is going to provide you with all the wood you need for the wood stove in your home that is there to provide heat to you and your family throughout the cold winter months.  That flooded basement?  Maybe it will help you get rid of stuff that has just been sitting around for years collecting dust.  You can look at these things as blessings, or you can look at them as curses.  If it were me, I like to look at things as opportunities to do something different.  The universe has a way of forcing you into action.  This action is something that should have taken place before hand, but because we are human we put things off.  Trust me, if there is something that needs to happen, the universe is going make sure it happens.  Each storm is an opportunity to learn, and if you fail to learn the lessons, you will find yourself going through the storm time and time again until you learn the things you need to learn.

There is certainly life after a storm, the key question is this:  will you be a willing participant in the life or will you be the one who simply complains and ends up waiting for the next storm to hit?  I know people who live in a perpetual storm.  Everything is always a mess, always a major project or undertaking, and always, always a something to complain about.  If you are the type to always think that things will get worse, then I will tell you that you can expect storm after storm in your life.  Why in heavens name would anyone want to go through storm after storm is any one's guess.  You would think the after the first two or three you would grow tired of it and change things up a bit.

If you are ready this blog then you have already won and you have proven there is life after the storm.  Maybe recovery was slow, but recovery came and you are better for it.  Look at storms as an opportunity to put rest the notion that only bad can come from such events, and instead rest your head on the good that is there.  There is good in every storm, sometimes all you need to do is look a little deeper for it.