Every season has its weather extremes. The colder months routinely bring ice storms, heavy snow, and even blizzard conditions. Spring rains and snowmelt often result in severe flooding in low-lying areas. Summer is plagued with thunderstorms and tornadoes. From summer’s end throughout the fall, we hear of tropical storms, which, when they become powerful enough, are classified as hurricanes.

    Each of these extreme events upsets the normal course of human activity and interaction. Power may be cut off to homes, schools and businesses. Property is often damaged or destroyed. Sadly, life is lost due to the inability of man to adequately protect against the fury of violent weather systems.

     As I sit looking out a window at the pure white snowdrifts that rise several feet up from the ground, and view the human struggle to dig out from under the tons of white powdery crystals that dropped from the heavens in the last twenty-four hours, I wonder, “What can we learn from this event?”

     Firstly, I believe, we must learn to feel for others when disaster hits in a part of the world that is far, far away. Too often we hear of an earthquake, tsunami, or flood in a remote part of the globe and consider it simply another piece of news and information. But this is not just a story, like those about politics, finance, and sports, with which we are bombarded daily. It is NOT! It is an event of great import and emotion to the human beings who suffer the effects of the event.

     There are many questions we can ask. What if it happened closer to home? What did they do to deserve such a fate? Am I so good that I should be exempt from tragedy? Is Hashem acting kindly towards me by sending a message through others? Thoughts like these should bring people to appreciate their lot and the kindness of G-d that allows life to run “routinely” day after day. It is not necessarily so simple to get through a day safely and securely.

     Another lesson is that every event is a message to us, to those who hear about it. Another’s illness, another’s success, a windfall profit or a financial disaster—all are meant to wake us up. If not, we would not hear about these things at all. Pay attention to all that you see and all that you hear. It was designed specifically for you—even if it is public knowledge.

     Thirdly, contemplate the power of the A-mighty. The weather changes daily—and most days not too drastically from the day before. We think it is scientifically measurable and predictable, and therefore natural. It certainly is not! Every moment, Hashem decides the condition of every creature and every person. He renews our situation constantly and can go from conferring blessing on us to bestowing something undesirable in a moment.

Appreciate what you have and pray for it to continue. Thank Him and ask for the good state of affairs to continue daily. A blizzard in life is far more destructive than the one viewed through a window.

CONSIDER THIS FOR A MINUTE

He who guards his mouth preserves his life; for one who opens wide his lips, there is ruin. (Mishle 13:3)