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How I overcame my fear of storms
Originally appeared on spirituality.com
Heavy clouds, wind, and choppy waters. This wasn’t exactly the weather I’d envisioned for a long-awaited whale-watching expedition. As passengers boarded the boat, the crew handed out medication for seasickness and warned passengers of a bumpy ride ahead. But I was calm as I climbed aboard and politely declined the medication. Even after we started out and conditions worsened, I felt safe.
How so?
Admittedly, it wasn’t always that way. As a child I was very frightened of storms. Lightning and thunder terrified me, and I was certain that destructive wind and rain came from a punishing God. At the time, my religious training had instilled in me the belief that God takes account of every sin and inflicts suffering, in the form of natural disasters, or other distressing circumstances, in order to teach a lesson. Despite their efforts, my parents couldn’t talk me out of this belief.
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About the author
Mary Julia Kephart lives in Princeton, New Jersey, United States.
