Fast as Lightning

We have had a stormier-than-usual summer here in Georgia. There has been a tremendous amount of rainfall and it is usually accompanied by gusting wind, peals of thunder, and brilliant flashes of lightning. We had a storm roll through earlier this week that was very threatening and didn't give us a great deal of warning. In one swift moment, we were blinded by a bolt of lightning as the thunder sounded simultaneously with the sizzle of electricity. The boom shook the house, immediately

knocked out our power, and fried our modem and router. It must have hit a transformer nearby as I found a piece of burned ceramic in our driveway after the storm (see picture on right.) Even though we felt like this came out of nowhere we realized that the storm had been building for some time before descending upon us.

It's no different from many of the devastating moments in our life. It seems like it hits us all out once & out of nowhere, but this release point has been building pressure over time. Moments of infidelity are forged out of careless thoughts, wandering eyes, and ignoring boundaries. Financial ruin is shaped by overspending, selfish purchases, and a lack of planning. The pain and aftermath of suicide is built through ignored depression, unwillingness to ask tough questions, and lack of compassion. The damage from each of these is as devastating as a lightning strike.

The best way to avoid the repercussions is to actively work in prevention mode before the storm hits your horizon. Don't get caught resting and falsely believe you're immune, but make the daily, disciplined decisions to prevent destruction before it happens.