Surviving the Storm

The wind, a howling beast, clawing at the windows, shaking the very foundations. Rain, a relentless assault, drumming a rhythm of fear, swallowing the familiar world. Darkness, thick and suffocating, broken only by the angry flash, the echoing thunder's threat. We huddle, small and vulnerable, listening to the fury unleashed, praying for the morning's grace. Then, the slow surrender, the gradual softening of the roar, the hesitant return of light. The aftermath: a landscape scarred, trees bowed in submission, debris scattered like broken toys. But amidst the wreckage, a quiet stirring, a reaching for what remains. Hands clasped, neighbors helping neighbors, a shared breath of relief. Surviving the storm is not just enduring the chaos, but finding the strength to rebuild, to remember, to face the quiet that follows with a fragile, persistent hope. ©bfa041825