StrongWinds:ABlownawayExperience
Haveyoueversteppedoutsideonaparticularlywindydayandfeltlikeyouweregoingtobeblownaway?Imaginethatfeelingmultipliedbyten,eventwentytimes.That'swhatit'sliketoexperienceablownaway.Here'saglimpseintowhatit'sliketobeinthemiddleofastrongwindstorm:
TheBuildup
Beforethewindshit,there'susuallyafeelingofanticipation.Youknowthatsomethingbigiscoming,andyoucanfeelitintheair.Theskyturnsamurkygray,andthetemperaturedropssignificantly.Peoplerusharoundtosecuretheirbelongings,andbusinessesshutdowninpreparationforthestorm.There'sasenseofurgencyintheair.
Asthewindsstarttopickup,youcanhearthemwhistlingthroughthetreesandhowlingthroughthebuildings.Thisiswhenyoustarttofeelalittleuneasy.Theworldaroundyoufeelslikeit'sshaking,andyoucan'tescapethefeelingthatsomethingbadisabouttohappen.
TheStorm
Whenthestormhits,it'slikenothingyou'veeverexperiencedbefore.Thewindissostrongthatitfeelslikeit'spushingyoudownthestreet.It'simpossibletowalkagainstit,andyouhavetoleanintoitjusttokeepyourbalance.Youcanbarelyseeinfrontofyoubecauseofthedebrisflyingaround.Anythingnotsecuredisliftedintotheairandthrownaroundlikeitweighsnothing.
There'sasenseofchaosallaroundyou,andyoucanhearthesoundofbreakingglassandmetaltearingapart.It'sunnervingtoknowthatyou'resurroundedbysomuchdestruction.Thewindsaresoloudthatit'shardtoevenhearyourselfthink.Youjusthavetoholdonandwaitforittopass.
TheAftermath
Oncethewindstormhaspassed,there'sastrangesenseofcalm.Theairfeelslighter,andthesunstartstopeekthroughtheclouds.Theworldaroundyouisacompletemess.Treesareuprooted,buildingsaredestroyed,andthere'sdebriseverywhereyoulook.It'shardtobelievethatyouwerejustinthemiddleofthatchaos.
Despitethedestruction,there'sasenseofreliefthatthestormisover.Youstarttoseepeoplecomingoutoftheirhomesandbusinesses,assessingthedamageandhelpingeachotherout.There'sasenseofcommunitythatarisesfromexperiencingsomethingsointensetogether.
Overall,ablownawayisaharrowingexperience.It'ssomethingthatstayswithyouforalongtime,bothinthemomentandintheaftermath.Butthere'salsoasenseofresiliencethatcomesfromweatheringthestormandcomingoutontheotherside.It'sareminderthatwe'recapableofhandlingmorethanwethinkweare.
