Thought for the day on the Joplin Tornado: Does the Wind Know Your Name?

Imagine waking up in the morning as you always do and thinking about what will happen today. You have laid out plans that you expect to complete.

Then, in a heartbeat, everything changes. The EF 5 tornado, with its winds exceeding 200 miles per hour of twisting terror.

So far, 129 people have died because of the Joplin tornado. School is out for the rest of the school-year. Eight thousand buildings are utterly destroyed and more damaged.

Watch the aerial view video of the Joplin tornado:

Yet in the midst of the tragedy, people ARE rebuilding their lives. A local radio station has been on the air constantly since the tornado winds whipped and whirled into town.

Even the Salvation Army, so often the bringer of aid in disasters, is both helper and helped. Their thrift store, which employs several people and provides low-cost goods, was smashed as if it were made of straw. Their leader’s home sustained heavy damage.

There are tearful discoveries of homes and loved ones lost –  and other tearful reunions of pets and loved ones found as the community pulls together. The human spirit is build around overcoming challenges and pulling together.

Help rolls in from all across the nation and  the world to support those experiencing a road of trials they never could have imagined..

Read this message from Earth Healing Day:

TO:  All Earth Healing Day Partners and Practitioners

As members of the human family, we recognize our shared utter dependence upon the planet.  Our survival depends upon Earth’s enduring stability and balance. 

As we witness moments of “shock and awe” at the hands of the planet’s natural forces, we are humbled and reminded of our individual smallness.  Our personal powers, however forceful, pale in the face of unleashed elemental forces that regulate Earth’s homeostasis.

We are inspired by the accounts of the courage and amazing presence shown by so many who have lost their homes, possessions, and communities. 

Our focus for the coming month of June will be on supporting and blessing people all over the planet who have endured the ravages of nature through storms that spawned tornados, hurricanes, floods, or tsunamis. 

Earth Healing Day 

Why does this thought for the day article ask “Does the wind know your name?”

Chief Robert TallTree, a bestselling author, award-winning musician-composer, and mentor, travels the United States with his wife Terri Lynn TallTree, share American Indian wisdom from their experiences and their Elders. So often they talk about how important it is to have a relationship with the elements of earth, water, fire and air.

Speaking about the elements, Terri Lynn said, “We travel a lot, and so often people have been worried because for us of storms or weather conditions. But we get everywhere we need to be.”

Chief TallTree added, “many times, the storms have come just after we left town.” How is this possible? “Because we respect the elements and all our relatives on the earth. The elements know us, and so we are always safe.

Storms are not evil. They’re just storms, acting in accordance with their nature. Humans are puny and powerless in the face of tsunamis, hurricanes and tornadoes, but showing respect for nature and honoring the earth change everything.

Adding to this thought for the day, the following is a story of how having a relationship with the powers of nature has affected me personally.

My aunt lives in the path of the Joplin tornado. When I heard about the storm, I prayed a protection over her. I did not know if she would have time to get to safety, so I  imagined her safe inside her apartment.

She lives in a senior apartment complex. As it turns out, they had time to evacuate to a nearby church basement. The apartments to the left and right of her had their windows blown out and some contents tossed about.

But the windows in my aunt’s apartment held.

I’m sure everyone wishes there would not be killing storms or natural disasters that destroy whole cities.

What I know for sure is that with all the storms that have raged around me these past weeks, I always feel safe, because the wind, earth, fire and water know how much I love and honor them.

Winds bend sturdy trees to their will. Lightning flashes so often it looks like a dance floor under strobe lights. Thunder booms so loud it shakes the earth and my house. My cat huddles in my lap. My dog quakes beside me, yet I am calm.

I am part of the TallTrees Seven Sacred Principles to Self Mastery and Personal Transformation Program. The stories I just related are just a couple of amazing examples of what has happened in my life thanks to following their teachings.

Even though I had respect for nature before joining their program, I now see that I didn’t have the kind of relationship that I do now.

As you read all this, you may wonder -

“How can I build a relationship with the elements?

First, realize you will never be in control of nature. It’s bigger and more powerful than any human being.

And, feel appreciation for them. Recognize how the elements sustain your life. Try living without any of the elements and you’ll realize how abundantly they support your existence.

also, honor and respect the elements. Think of them as your brothers and sisters –  as living consciousness rather than inanimate forces to fear or conquer.

Finally, invite the TallTrees into your home and listen as they share their sacred teachings with you in the comfort of your own home. You do this when you claim the Four Brothers.

This powerful video is an intimate conversation about the elements of nature. The TallTrees are sitting on a couch sharing stories and beautiful words of wisdom with you.

Claim it right now at www.ProfitableStorytelling.com/4brothers and forever change the way you interact with nature.

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