Weather We Like It or Not

Weather is the one factor in our lives that is truly unpredictable and impacts us beyond our control. Even though we have the most advanced technology we have ever experienced to help us predict the weather more accurately, we still end up wrong some of the time. Weather can provide the most nurturing sunny day that keeps your spirits up all day long, if for no other reason than "it's a beautiful day outside." However, it can also bring on some obscenely dreary days of cold, dark, and rain; not to mention the horrors of natural disaster. Extreme weather like hurricanes or blizzards does not discriminate against economic status, race, ethnicity, gender, or any other factor; those suckers tear up anything and everything that gets in their way. In a strange way, weather is the most pure and lasting impartiality in the world, and I kind of like that a tornado won't ever hop over a big ass mansion, or spare the life of a rich celebrity, on its way to my house. We haven't figured out how to cheat the weather yet, we only know where to live to avoid it- but even then, people live in California with earthquakes, Florida with hurricanes, and right here in Texas with tornadoes. It always seemed stupid to me when I was younger that someone would choose to live somewhere they knew something bad could happen in, and then I found out my parents decided to raise me in the middle of Tornado Alley. I didn't understand why they would take the risk of losing everything when we could just live somewhere "safe." There really is no safe place though, it just depends what kind of bad weather you would prefer-wind, rain, or fire, take your pick. I also never understood why people just jumped up and started rebuilding entire cities after a natural disaster destroyed them. It's not that I think we should prolong our pain or not move on with life; I didn't really understand why society would choose to spend so much time, money, and manpower to redo all the infrastructure that was just demolished, especially when disaster could strike again. Then, we would be right where we started, all over again. Still, history has shown us, when the weather knocks something down, we just build it right back up again. It is reassuring to see how the world really does come to the rescue when people have faced disaster; it lets you know if that were ever you, someone would help. So, I like having the uncertainty of weather in my life. It keeps us humble by reminding us just how small we are in comparison to the workings of the world; this, I think, is beneficial to us all because nobody is bigger than the weather.

This is a picture I took while driving (not the safest tactic) on my way to visit my boyfriend at Texas Tech. While driving six hours in west Texas is not the most exciting or scenic trip to take in your life, it has its moments. I actually don't mind making the drive because it gives me a sense of calm and rejuvenation from escaping my ordinary routine for a short while. Plus, it reminds me of how the simplest things in nature, like a sunset, can be the most impactful on your day if you take the time to let it.