Lightning in a Snow Storm
JD Dufresne               January 28, 2019

 
I’ve been thinking lately that I’m working too much and not spending very much time with my family or the Lord.  I’ve written a few blogs over the past few months, but I haven’t been able to finish them because I’ve been feeling exhausted.  The short story below happened just the other day and it moved me enough to be able to find the time to sit down and write it out.

It was a very cold January morning as I drove to work.  A few minutes after I arrived I looked out the window and the picture above is what I saw.  It was approximately 7:15 AM. This picture doesn’t really do the scene justice as the plume of light seemed much more defined and taller to my eyes.  I remember thinking to myself, “Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning…”

It was a long and busy day in our office and it snowed on and off for most it.  At 5:30 PM I went outside to clean off my snow covered car.  At that time the snow seemed more like small hail.  It was pellet like, but stuck together like cement as soon as it came into contact with an object.  It was very windy at the time and it was difficult to see or breathe as I cleaned off my car.  Suddenly as I brushed off my car it happened.  Everything went instantly white and quiet.  I couldn’t even see my hands in front of me.  The hair on the back of my neck tingled and then I heard the clap of thunder as if it were in my head.  It was over in less than a second and it was like someone had hit the “pause” button on life.  A bolt of lightning struck somewhere near me, but I have no idea how close it was to me.  I ran into my office to wait and see if there would be another strike, but there wasn’t.  I was soon joined by two others who I didn’t notice were also cleaning their cars a few feet away from me.  They saw the same thing I did.  It’s very rare to get lightning in a snow storm around here in Connecticut, but it does happen. 

It was a rough ride home.  The roads were extremely icy and cars were all over the roads.  My car is not very good in snow and ice, but I put in my rosary cd and I knew Mother would see me home just fine.