Thunderstorms

As a staff member in a summer Yeshiva in Pennsylvania, I accompanied the boys on a bike trip yesterday afternoon (Thursday). It was to be a peaceful 25 mile drive with scenic views of rock formations and waterfalls. Weather.com “promised” a sunny 92 degrees day. All seemed perfect.

At the starting point we split into a few groups, the fast-finish-first, the intermediates and the slow-take-it-easy drivers. Each group was accompanied by a staff member. I was with the last group.

We were a small group of three plus a guide, and we were taking our time taking in the scenery and enjoying ourselves. After driving for a while we checked the map to find our present location, and we were pleasantly surprised to know that we had already covered over fifteen miles. Eight miles remained.

Eight miles I will never forget for the rest of my life.

Out of nowhere – Boom! The skies opened up in a downpour and hailstorm I have yet to experience. The lightening, the thunder was unlike anything you can imagine. Later the guide would tell us that he cannot remember such a storm in his 31 years as a guide on this trail. (The other boys ahead had already made it to the destination and were waiting for us impatiently on the bus.)

Due to the forecast of sunny weather, I had smeared on my face a large amount of sun screen. Now thanks to the rain it was blinding me. I had to close my eyes for three seconds then wipe my eyes, open one eye for a split second to check if I was still on the trail! I drove like this for over twenty minutes! (driving off the trail more than once) Until all the sun screen was totally washed off my face.

At one point we almost flipped over a fallen tree right in middle of the path. We later confirmed that it was not there just a few minutes earlier…

We were scared. Terrified.

With hail slapping across our faces and hands, and powerful winds throwing us to all sides, all we could think of was:

“We must go on! No stopping! We much reach the destination! No time for complaining! No one can come and save you here, you must do it alone! Yes, it’s painful and scary, but if you don’t go forward it will only make things much worse.

One step at a time, one foot at a time. Look ahead and go ahead. Go! Go! Go!”

The three of us learned the greatest of life’s lessons in that hour stretch…

p.s. just a few minutes after loading the bus to come home, the clouds parted and the sun came out… as if it all happened for us to learn these lessons…