Wolf Weather

Last night we had a pretty good storm roll through Iowa and the surrounding region. The sirens were blaring in town. The weather alerts on the phone were wailing. And we dutifully grabbed our sleeping children and hauled them down to the basement. With six kids, it took a couple trips!

I noticed that a few of my friends here were posting on Facebook about having to be in the basement instead of sleeping, or having to spend some quality time in their 'safe place'. I joined in the fun, and posted that we were also in our basement, with six sleeping children, and was glad the internet was still up so I could watch the progress of the storm (or rather the 'impending doom').

When starting to write that post, I was in a very sarcastic mood. The storm hadn't hit us yet. There were multiple siren alerts, and a multitude of weather watches and warnings in effect. It reminded me this morning of the boy who cried wolf. Seems like there are so many times when the news stations cry "Wolf!" if there is a cloud in the sky, a few snowflakes, or a few drops of rain.

When I was about finished with my post, I paused, and added that everyone should keep safe. While yes, this seemed like another round of "Wolf Weather" to me, I have to remember that these storms really can be dangerous. And the thought struck me that I shouldn't take the alerts so lightly. The meteorologists are only doing what they can with the tools currently available. I might argue that they are required to sensationalize a bit for TV, but I do believe they are honestly trying to protect the public at large.

And here is where I take a left turn in what I'm discussing. The thought occurred to me that this is a lesson to learn and apply to life. That we shouldn't take the alerts we perceive lightly. What am I talking about? Well, from a Catholic vernacular, I'm referring to "avoiding the near occasions of sin" and the like. When our internal sirens go off, listen to them. When we pick up on negative vibes in a situation we find ourselves in, get your guard up. Every time. No exceptions.

Just as with the weather, we can get complacent in our lives, and not be on our guard when alerts are 'issued'. And just like the weather, a situation can engulf us into misery without warning. Like a wolf biding his time.

Thankfully for us, the storm rolled over last night without much fanfare. A good lighting show, a heavy downpour, and not much wind. But areas around us were impacted with heavy winds and possible tornadoes. Looks like we have another round of storms rolling in tonight. I best be on my guard, because I do not know if the "Wolf Weather" will strike closer to home or not.