Article May 17, 2004 Issue

COMPASSION AND HOPE When tornado season looms

By Linda Hitt

Violent weather affects millions around the world. In the United States, May is the month of peak tornado frequency. Many people turn to prayer when a storm is threatening their homes and communities—and impulsively pray for those who've suffered from storms big and small.

My heart goes out to anyone caught in the path of a tornado. Nothing in weather seems so randomly destructive, so capable of turning normal life from peace to panic in seconds. I know firsthand what it's like to feel powerless when facing nature events, such as a hurricane or tornado. But I've also learned I don't have to feel or be powerless at such times.

When our children were in elementary school, our family moved to an area of rural Wisconsin not far from Madison. At some point I was told about a tornado that had hit a small town about ten miles from us, destroying the entire downtown area in minutes. It was called a freak storm because tornadoes were seldom seen in our region. No one I knew had a storm cellar.