Just Pondering: Respect for Mother Nature

By ALLYSON MCCAW on July 29, 2022.

Well, Mother Nature decided to wake us up and let us know she is unpredictable and no matter how advanced our technology is, she sneaks under the radar and shows her force. The tornado that hit last week was destructive and overwhelming in terms of cost but more importantly the emotional toll to those directly affected is immeasurable. I know this firsthand.

You know how we all can remember certain events that happen in our lifetime, and we can tell verbatim exactly where and when that historical event took place? Even when we cannot remember if we bought milk yesterday at the store, my generation can all tell you when Princess Diane was killed and what we were doing at the moment we heard the news. Well, I have such a moment also with tornados.

My small town in Saskatchewan was hit with a tornado that ripped through in July of 1983. I had just finished writing my RN exams in Saskatoon and was cocooned away from the world for two days. When I emerged and was driving back home, I started to hear news items on the radio, and you can imagine my fear. I do not remember much of that trip home except it seemed to take forever.

When I drove into town I was absolutely overwhelmed. It looked like what I imagine a war zone is like after the shelling has stopped. Strangely, pictures from last week’s carnage are remarkably similar to those taken of my hometown. Several of my family members’ homes and equipment were in the direct path of that whirling gyro and stories of pump jacks being blown over and tossed about like a toy kite were unbelievable but true. And incredibly, in both incidents no one was severely injured. Truly a miracle.

The town rallied and just like the good folks of Cypress County everyone pitched in and clean-up was completed within days. However, the emotional side of this experience is not so easy to push aside. Folks I know still have flashback episodes when the sky darkens, and winds threaten.

I offer my heartfelt condolences to those affected by this disaster and please know that we all wish you the absolute best as you try to find normalcy again. We must never take Mother Nature for granted and always respect her.

Stay well.

Allyson McCaw is a Medicine Hatter

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