An Arkansas Hurricane

Today is September 3, 2008 and Arkansas is directly under the remains of Hurricane Gustov.  Gustov made landfall in Louisiana yesterday morning.  I have been tracking it on the news as it skirted Cuba several days ago and then intensified as it gulped the warm Gulf waters.  Now inland, the hurricane has been diminished from destructive winds to merely a couple of days of serious rain for us.  In a week, folks will be playing  golf on a sunny day,  scarcely remembering if it was Gusto?, or Gussie?, or Gustov?...and talking about how badly we need rain.

I want to focus on the factors which defuse such a storm from a category 3 or 5, down to a thundershower.  This does not happen all at once, but as the hurricane travels over the terrain, three things occur.  One, it encounters mountain ranges, trees, forests, and cities, all of which subdue the forces of the wind over time.  Second, the storm is perpetually dropping rain and losing energy as it does so.  I am no weatherman, but even I know a cloud can't rain forever. Somewhere down the line it runs out of juice!  Finally, after moving aloft, the storm is destined to run into an opposing weather pattern.  In this case, a cold front moving down from the North is triggering the release of water, as well as taking more energy from the weather system.

I point this out to tell you that at some point in your life you will be in another kind of hurricane...usually an emotional one.  Life's storms are precipitated by heartaches and breaks, disappointments, tragedy, loss, bankruptcy, illness, divorce, etc.  For some, they would likely label these storms a 'Category 10'.  The tears fall like rain while fear thunders in the soul.  Trouble becomes your constant companion.  'Friends' abandon you, evacuating to safer shores and wanting no part of  what is now 'your' storm.  Batton down the hatches baby it's gonna get rough!  The winds blow, the beach erodes, structures and paradigms get blown to kingdom come!  That's the bad part.  But, let me give you some good news.

A hurricane doesn't last forever.  In a few days the sun comes back out.  The hurricane runs into a few barriers of people who say..."Hey I have had worse things than that happen to me and I am still alive!"  Ferocious winds find themselves facing fearless fronts when people say, "Listen, a little love and forgiveness can take care of this."  Not only that, but in time the intensity naturally goes away.  You can't live in a state of utter venom all the time...at least you won't live very long in that state.  Somewhere along the way there must come a bit of acceptance, of release, and hopefully some understanding.  When you understand that everything you hear may not be true and every assumption you make is likely not correct, it tends to take some water out of the clouds.  Lastly, the opponents in your life have a life, or have to get a life, of their own.  Other 'weather patterns' come, either from the North or the South, bringing a chill or a thaw to affect people's angst.  In time, they have to pay attention to their own problems and situations.  Their own kids get sick, their bank account runs dry, they screw up and have their own enemies, etc.  At the end of the day you have to sleep between your own pathetic elbows.  These new front bring changes in attitudes.  When you need forgiveness it is amazing how you suddenly can find it within you to extend the same. 

Let me tell you something.  Life is way too short to live in a hurricane.  I'd much rather encounter an 'Arkansas' Hurricane than a Louisiana or Texas Hurricane.  A  coastal hurricane will rip your roof off.  An Arkansas Hurricane has had some time....some buffers....causing it to lessen in intensity.  The lessening is a lesson we all need to learn.

Regards,

Tim