Thoughts on Moore, Oklahoma

The day the tornado hit Moore, I woke up to the news that Oklahoma etc. might be in for a series of tornadoes.  I said a prayer since there had already been tornadoes damaging one city in Oklahoma already and there was damage in Texas.  Tornadoes are no joke.  My only experience with a tornado warning, sirens, hail falling etc. was when I went back to Wichita with my ex-husband to his home town to visit  his dad and step mom in 2003 before Riley was born.  We were at local restaurant where his dad liked to eat and the sirens began to sound the warning.

We stepped outside to see the sky which had turned a really weird shade of brown and to see the hail fall on the ground... hoping the hail wouldn't dent the car.  A security officer drove up and told us to take cover because "there was a tornado touching down on the corner".  Inside was two TVs set up with the weather man giving us a moment by moment report on what was happening. 

I asked where we were to go if the tornado was going to hit us and was told "the bathroom".  With a big question mark on my face and only the Wizard of Oz to work with... I asked about a basement or a cellar.  I discovered that most places didn't have a place like that for these kinds of emergencies.  I felt helpless!  There was no where really to hide or escape if the tornado was really bad.

My ex's dad just sat in his chair while I ran around trying to figure out what to do.  I actually wished it was an earthquake I was dealing with because then I would know what to do... coming from earthquake country and all.  I couldn't figure out how he could be so calm sitting there in the chair drinking his drink but he had been dealing with tornadoes all his life like I have dealt with earthquakes.

The small tornado that day damaged a parking garage and a few cars but it was nothing compared to what Moore experienced.  I couldn't help but remember the feelings of not knowing where to hide and thought how the people there when facing a EF5 tornado.  I also thought about how they didn't have safe rooms or cellars just like Kansas and wondered why people acted like they would dodge the bullet every time?  But then we aren't always prepared for an earthquake either.  The lesson  here is to get prepared for one.

I am amazed at how many people lived and sad that people, kids, died.  My heart goes out to their families and friends.  I am also going to donate to Hands of Hope which is working with two churches in the area.  God Bless Them!