eye of the storm
a family huddles together in the basement, as the house is torn apart around them by a great storm. incredible winds shake their home to its foundations - the roof above is ripped away, exposing them to the violent assault of nature.
but they are together and not even the winds can tear them apart. the family stays close and clings to this one thought: that every storm passes.
it gets worse before it gets better. fear and emotion flood over the unprepared souls as the rainwater begins to pour in. the deluge lasts for what seems ages and mercilessly destroys all that it can find. a lifetime of shared memories and irreplaceable history are washed away. the family can do nothing but observe, wait, and weep.
the noise eventually subsides though occassional crashes echo around them. they numbly climb out of the wreckage, blinking bleary-eyed at the destruction that was once their life. they mourn for their losses and do the only thing that they can. they begin to rebuild.
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over the years this reality transforms into a metaphor, an identity, a way of life. time after time, the family gathers close against the wind and the rain and endures each storm together.
for my sister,
-louie-
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:15 pm
A bit of Welsh poetry:
A mountain storm, rivers in torrents;
Flood water inundates the dwellings;
Everywhere one sees an ocean.
With that, may you keep your head above the water and may land be sighted soon…
~A
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Well said, Louie. Beautiful, poignant, and so true. From one storm survivor to another, I wish you and your family peace, hope and love through this Journey of tears.
~D