Right place, right time

Everyone in the DC area noticed the severe storm that came through last Wednesday. I don't pay too much attention to the news, and even I heard about it enough in advance to be prepared. But when another severe storm came through on Saturday night, I hadn't been warned.

I was probably out of the loop because it was the weekend, and I had been focusing on other things. I had a day planned from the start to the end with fun and uplifting things to do. When the storm came, I was just about 10 miles north of my home, at the adult session of our stake conference. Afterward, I went out to eat with a few other young people. We only received very light rain, but did get to hear thunder and see some impressive lightning to the south. It was only when I got home that I realized how bad the storm had been. A huge limb was down, blocking half of the road into my neighborhood. As I turned onto my street, the usually beautiful tree lining both sides of the road and the median were missing several large limbs as well -- of course, they were on the street. The parking lot in my apartment complex likewise has a plentiful supply of trees, so there were many smaller limbs scattered all of the lot. Sirens could be heard throughout the neighborhood. I saw my neighbor on the way into my apartment, and he informed me that I missed out on 60 mph winds and coin-sized hail.

Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I like to think that my car (and I, of course) was kept safe because I was in the right place.