Lightning Strikes

I wrote a blog entry a couple of years ago on my fear of thunder and lightning storms. Since then I've been fortunate enough to only experience one or two such storms. However, I got to experience the biggest one we've had in a while a couple of weeks ago. It was actually three storms, one after the other.

I am worse with storms at night, but during the day isn't great either. These were during the day when I was at work. I was surrounded by other people, which helps to an extent. I also work in the tallest building in town on top of the highest hill in town... It has lightning conductors, but so what!? Even my colleagues that do not normally delight in the same phobia as I do were scared by these storms.

From my desk I have a spectacular view across the Ouse Valley with the South Downs looming either side, Kingston Ridge to the right and Firle Beacon to the left. This view gets me through my working day - I'm reminded of the beauty of my county and the glory of God whenever I look at it, whether it rains or shines, when it is steeped in fog or when the skies are clearest blue.

So watching a storm play out across this view was one of the most amazing things I've experienced. The first storm rolled in and the thunder rumbled menacingly, growing louder and louder. We were aware of lightning, occasionally seeing a fork in the distance when we looked up from work. The second storm followed much the same. Then the third storm came crashing in and now I was completely distracted. The lightning forked out over the valley, reaching for the Downs on either side. It was stunning. It was terrifying. It was beautiful. I will always be afraid of thunder storms, but I am so glad I got to appreciate one in this way, to witness the beauty and the terror combined whilst in relative safety. I am now facing the challenge of putting what I saw into words - I want to try with poetry, which is most certainly not my strongest form of writing, but that awe-inspiring sight keeps conjuring up images, words, and feelings in my brain that must be put on paper...

I should probably admit that I was distracted from work for a good hour - a combination of fear and excitement, and then ultimate distraction with the light show. But, I also kept checking out this awesome website where you can track a storm's progression in most of the UK and northern France. It's a storm chaser's dream. And, if you're like me, brontophobia does turn you into a little (desk-based) storm chaser, because there's nothing like scaring yourself that you're phobia is on it's way...