Remembrance

Today’s post is a little different. Today is a day to remember, to be grateful and thankful.

22 year’s ago life changed for everyone in my small hometown of St. Peter, Minnesota. My life changed.

I remember being at Bethany, my church on the north side of town, that Sunday afternoon for a quiz practice and then dinner with the whole church. I left early since I was scheduled for work at Godfather’s Pizza downtown in the early evening. Being a small town many business were in old buildings. Godfather’s was in the old bank building with big windows on both sides… the basement I always thought was scary… was one of the banquet rooms complete with the old safe.

I remember it being warm, weird for March. I was at work with a few of my friends/coworkers from school. I don’t remember sirens… and maybe there wasn’t any… since that was one of the first things that was hit. I do remember the giant black wall on the top of the hill. I think we all just stared at it for a second or two not comprehending what we were seeing and then frozen in fear as the realization of what we were looking at sunk in. I remember someone getting people inside that were on the sidewalk and trying to hold the door shut.

I remember Jess, Becky and I running down the stairs as the glass of the windows started to shatter… after that I don’t remember much. I remember that Rob wasn’t with us and worried as to where he was. Most of it my mind has blocked. I don’t remember the sound. I remember the quiet from afterwards.

I remember staying put upstairs for a while not sure what to do. The power was out and it was dark as I tried to walk home. Seeing and walking over pieces of buildings and trees. Landmarkers gone. At some point I ran into Stanci and Derek somewhere around Broadway and Washington maybe. They had both been at the church and they told me my mom was okay. I continued to walk home. I got home, my mom wasn’t there but her van was, I turned on the light in the van. I think my thought process had been that if she sees it she’d know. She’d know I was safe. That’s my last true memory of that night.

The days and weeks afterward were a blur. We were one of the luckier ones… our house was okayish. We lost our shed out back which stored my grandparents things and our lawnmower. The roof of the house had lifted up and went back down cockeyed. I had friends whose houses were destroyed so I felt lucky. You could look at 2 houses side by side, one was destroyed and the other looked unscathed. It was surreal. From churches, the community center, Gustavus College campus, to trees… the tornado(s) left a mark.

But what happened after the tornado was a community and its neighbors standing together and rebuilding. I moved 18 months after the tornado and haven’t been back as much as I would like. When I go back I am inspired by how much St. Peter has rebuilt and become stronger. Sound familiar? Yes, I know we are dealing with this virus on a global scale but my hope is that through this and after this we build communities and countries that are stronger and united together.

Here’s a couple links if you want to see pictures and videos and read more about the tornado.

My coffee cup this morning… chosen with purpose… Stitch… a tornado of sorts… but something that brought a family together. Ohana.

Blessed first cups

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