Weather Destroys Human Arrogance

There are a lot of jokes about the weather - as many as there are people who try to predict it. Besides, as the old adage says, no matter what, there will be weather. And weather has always been such a nicely safe, albeit dull topic for conversation at tea parties, cocktails hours, while standing in line or sharing a taxi. Weather's safe, right?

Weather, in and of itself, is definitely not safe. Just ask the million people in Kentucky who suffered through an ice storm that began on Tuesday, January 27, and whose effects are still being felt tonight, on February 4. Tonight's temperature is scheduled to go down to single digits, and there are still about 30,000 people in my part of the world without power. As with any weather disaster, there have been multiple human deaths, the majority of them caused by people trying to stay warm in below freezing weather but with no clue about how to stay safe. People do inadvisable things when they're desperate and/or afraid, and/or ignorant, like bringing an outdoor grill inside and lighting the coals, or putting a gasoline powered generator indoors without venting for carbon monoxide.

Everyone in our area with access to weather reports knew the potential for a bad storm and power outages was very real, but according to the 'experts,' the truly dangerous line for major ice storm damage would remain to our north. It was in the north, as they said, but it was also much further south than anticipated, and therein was our problem. It started as snow, then changed to sleet and freezing rain, and it was very audible as it hit windows and storm doors. It was far worse when it changed to freezing rain.

I had already gone to bed before my power went out, but I'd been unable to fall asleep. Naturally, I felt nervous, but in an attempt to remain somewhat optimistic, I hoped for the best. While, I lay there hoping, I could hear tree branches beginning to clack together in the wind. That sound changed abruptly with the loud cracks of breaking limbs, then the slithering, glass breaking sound of limbs falling from heights to the ice covered ground. That horrifying sound came with greater and greater frequency, and then the power went about 2 a.m.

There is nothing more humbling that lying vulnerable in the dark, knowing there is nothing you can do as living portions of your environment crumble around you. The cracks, the crashes, the heavy thuds of large trees succumbing to stress and falling to earth makes you rethink your values. It also makes you reconsider your fallible reasoning in purchasing a home with far too much glass on two levels. There is nothing more pathetic that a human suddenly faced with their human weakness. Neither fantasy, illusion or arrogance abrogates the problem.

I fared better than many, surviving without power for five days, without telephone for six, and without a functioning car battery for six. My cats and I cuddled together under blankets on the sofa during the days, where dressed in multiple sweatshirts, socks and a hoodie, I read and tickled cat bellies. I filled my stomach with cereal, tuna sandwiches, nutrition bars and instant coffee warmed over multiple tea candles. The cats feasted on their usual fare, unconcerned like me that the cupboard might grow bare. The house temperature went down to 40, but we managed, all of us under or on top of quilts and comforters on the upstairs bed. It was a shared human/feline adventure that we're all glad is over.

The real irony, of course, is that we definitely had weather. Man's arrogant assumption that he controls and dominates his environment is so much rot. When weather truly let's us know who is boss, our arrogance turns to irrelevance, irresponsibility and in most cases, paranoia because those linemen for the utilities were taking care of everyone but me. Those not particularly religious suddenly attempt to bargain with whatever they think passes for God. Personal hygiene becomes less a fetish when icy cold water is the only alternative. In about half the cases, selfishness magnifies, and in the other half, charity and a helping hand is top priority. The real lesson it in all, is that humans can prepare but they cannot control what the weather in any of its myriad forms presents.

Our last weather problem had been only four months before with the tail end of Hurricane Ike blowing down trees and knocking out power. That was a problem, but it was not deadly because the September weather was still relatively warm. That wasn't the case last week. Nor was our local or state-wide government or utilities services prepared for a problem of the magnitude Mother Nature presented. There seemed to be a great deal of after the fact preparation instead of a plan in place for resurrection prior to the storm. The local radio stations were also highly lax in their job of informing the public. Bulletins and informational reports were few and far between, normal programming prevailing which was absurd because while people were struggling to survive, Rush Limbaugh was ranting as usual. The few reports of value even ceased all together over the weekend, as though no one with a conscience worked Saturdays or Sundays.

It's probably good that Ma Nature makes these surprise attacks. It certainly cuts humans back down to size. It scares us and exhausts us and makes us quake in our boots. It makes us appreciate those local and out of state utility workers who brave the elements and 12 hour days to get things back to a semblence of normal. And I kept wondering as the trees were coming down and the freezing rain continued just how many of those tiny, twig entwined squirrel nests up in the highest tree branches were going to survive, and how the occupants, flung to the ground as the limbs broke and crashed, would survive their own terror and needs. The cats and I were lucky.