It got very windy today, it seemed like a thunderstorm was about to hit.

I sat in my grounded car a moment, appreciation the sound of distant thunder.

Though, not the flash of lightening, of something.

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When I was dumb and little, I received what I thought was amazing advice.

I remember eloquently complaining about thunder, and in response being told.

"Once you hear thunder, it means you survived the lightening"

I've come down quite a bite since, but now that I am wiser.

I frequently return to that piece of wisdom, rain or shine.

And frankly, am confused, as to what to make of it.

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While, the electricity stayed on, and the storm went around my neighborhood.

I thought back tot he last time, I was scared of nature.

Now that some some has passed, I see it as an experiment worthy of Ben Franklin.

The inventor, of the last light bulb you'll even need, aka the spicy in a jar.

---

It was many years ago, but here is the just of it.

I moved far from humanity, where no one could possibly see or hear me.

And as felt the heavy air throughout the day, and I carefully staged my own lightening experiment.

This required several trips, and all kinds of gadgets.

Flashes of light begun appearing, quite a distance away.

So, I found a nice bold spot, where frankly, it looked like lighting struck more than once.

And drove two long metal rods into the ground, then bend them one over the other, to drive their other ends too.

As the wind begun picking up, and the flashes became more intense.

I affixed some fairy light to the rods, as if to attract static electricity.

I proceeded to have my dinner, standing up, staring at the approaching mayhem.

And as the thunder grew near, and nearly deafening.

I put earbuds in my ears, and to spite the storm. played we are all connected.

And then, I did something, that would give even Mr. Franklin the heebie-jeebies.

I laid down beneath the metal cross I erected, in a snow angel position.

The storm got so loud around me, that for a faint fraction of a nano-second.

It occured to me, that perhaps next time, I should check the weather before going camping.

But I thought better of it, adventure is adventure, you can't outsmart it.

And you shoudn't, becasue the whole point, if camping a the edge of woods, is re-connecting with nature.

---

It is not a blurry memory, and I can tell you with all certainty.

While my tent cradled me to sleep nice and well, I was a woken at lest once by the loudest thunder.

It had to hit near, I recall feeling, unsetteled.

Though I fell back asleep, within the same second.

Though it can't be true, but it sure felt like the storm lasted two hours.

It was big, it was raw, driven hard by the great lake Mighigan.

I almost feel bad, I fell asleep.

But I was scared, not lonely, but just scared of the mess, it got to me.

That is when I realized, the advice from my childhood, is no good.

In fact, it is the worst thing, I've ever heard.

But my tent held up, and I even had dry wood in the morning.

I covered it with a large trash bag, I highly recommend doing that.

And as you can imagine, the morning, was fresh, crisp, new.

I didn't feel like a survivor, but a person who was being taken care of by nature.

In that beautiful morning, my scary storm transformed into good medicine.

Medicine, and a story, that I tell and re-tell, with great appreciation.

---

If I had to go through it again, of if you need advice in case something similar may happen.

Whether you are laying on the ground, like a starfish or anger.

Or sit in the woods, away from trees, including dry ones that can fall.

You are just about in the same shape, if you have some energy left, and i didn't.

Stay up, don't be scared, there is an order to nature.

Storms pass frequently, and rarely do they hurt, in fact they tend to nurture.

Be wise, be safe, cover your ears, and stay up.

If you are deep in the woods, then rest assured, the storm is for you.

It is to remind you, that you are human second, and a creature of the stars first.

You are nature, and so is the storm and the stars, and everything else must fall into that order.

This way, stress and overwork, will shift from seeming like a lifestyle, to a mistake.

Your well being and health, has to come first.

It shouldn't take a powerful storm, to remind you that you are neither a mouse nor a worker.

You are not expendable or replaceable, lost, or cast away.

If that is what you feel, then you must leave and find your storm right now.

Find a better pivot point, a better beginning.

It may sound like woo woo fluff now, but it is true that you are a creature of the stars first.

It takes a storm, let the universe reach out to you.

Don't be afraid, of what you really are.