'Til the Storm Passes By

A couple of Sundays ago, we sang one of my favourite hymns as the choir anthem.  It is called “’Til the Storm Passes By”.  Not only is the melody just great fun to sing, the lyrics are very meaningful to me.  My whole life, there has been a tornado raging in my head, winds taking thoughts and whipping them around so fast that I can’t always catch them.  Lightening and thunder drown out the good thought and provide amplification to the bad.  But every now and then, I remember the words to this hymn, and the storm calms just long enough for me to breathe, relax, and continue on my path. 

The past couple of days I have been thinking about this song as a massive “Super Storm” has been winding its way up the East Coast.  As is often the case in times like this, humour has been getting people through, while funny memes and Twitter accounts circulate our virtual lives.  It is easy for those of us a little more removed from it to laugh about the situation, but when it starts to hit closer to home, the laughter is silenced.  I myself was in denial about just how bad it would be, until last night when I saw images of my beloved New York City being downright devastated in some areas.

I was then infuriated at the current students at my alma mater bitching and moaning about having to attend their classes tomorrow.  Yes, a day off every now and then was always welcome, especially in the dead of winter when it was always preferable to hole up under the covers and order Dominos then to schlep to class.  But in this case, where the worst they got was some wind and heavy rain, it was downright petty whining.  There are people who have lost so much in just one day, who may have lost jobs and loved ones.  Who may not be able to pay for college because of the damage this storm has caused.  Count yourselves lucky that you are not one of those people.  That you were kept safe and sound, and that you are able to resume your lives and your education without issue. 

Today the storm is moving on, it will eventually be stopped and there will be calm.  In the aftermath, in the bigger, emotional storm to follow as people try to put their lives back together again, just remember.  It, too, will pass and you will once again find that calm.  Until then, may some of you find the same comfort I have found in this song.