Last night, at around 7pm, I returned to Atlanta after a short trip, and, following a healthy dinner of hamburgers and fries, moved over to the couch to read Business Week while some show played incessantly on the Disney Channel and the typical noises of a family on a Friday evening swirled about.
Just as I got comfortable with the chaos I noticed that the skies began to darken. Clouds came in. The winds picked up. And it began to rain – hard. Lightening struck nearby, several times… The chaos inside our home became quiet. I looked around and noticed a look of fear on the boy’s faces. “Daddy, what’s going to happen if a tree falls?” “What if the wind makes a hole in our roof and the rain starts to come in?” “Daddy, I’m going to be really scared if the power goes out!” “Daddy, when will it stop?” “What do we do?!”
As I put down my magazine, a visible bolt of lightning struck nearby, the TVs, music and kitchen appliances went silent, and the lights went out. Our home was dark.
It can be hard to explain that “this too shall pass” or that “trouble don’t last always” or simply that “the storm is passing over” to children consumed with fear.
Thanks to the work of a fast thinking mommy, step #1 was as simple as opening the curtains. While it was dusk, the sun hadn’t completely gone down. The skies were dark, but some light was still getting through. Step #2 was to go get flashlights and candles. The boys were sent on this mission and knew exactly where to go to find a source of light. Step #3: Continue the plan. The boys had planned to sleep on custom made “super beds” in the basement after watching a movie that night. No reason to stop. The super beds were constructed with blankets and pillows and the movie was set to play on a laptop computer. Laughter, arguing and sleep ensued.
This morning when I work up, Harrison greeted me with “Daddy, the power came back on last night!” I smiled and looked out the window. The sun was shining. The streets were calm. And, although I am sure that some fell in the area, for the most part the trees were still standing and the flowers were still beautiful. A perfect start to a brand new day.
So, what do I tell my boys the next time? Their grandfather would say that “You’re either heading for a storm, going through a storm, or coming out of a storm!,” but that may be too obtuse for an 8 year old. Maybe I’ll tell them that they have to adjust to the circumstances and keep going with their plan. Maybe I’ll just remind them of the last time – that they were prepared, that it was actually a little fun, and that the next day the sun came out. And maybe I’ll tell them that if they remember these things, and keep their heads about them, their Father will take care of them.