It is Wednesday, March 5, 2025. We have endured two nights of crazy weather. Monday night, or possibly early Tuesday morning, my wife and I were awakened by the storm sirens as a Tornado Warning was being declared by our local Emergency Management department. What should we do? Outside the storm raged, wind howling like a banshee, yet we were safe and dry inside. Our refuge from the storm was holding up...so far. From the sounds all around us we could be moments away from windows crashing in or the roof being ripped off. We lived across the lake in Heath when the storm of December 26, 2015 hit like a bomb blast. Were we about to experience first hand the devastation of a tornado landing in our neighborhood and causing mass hysteria and mayhem? No way to know. So we did what we could, we took a deep breath, gave each other a kiss, and went back to sleep. It didn't take a debate or too much convincing. Outside it was a horror show. Do we run out in it, take our chances dashing to the car in hopes we can race to somewhere safer than were we were? Or maybe jump in a closet (no room I assure you lol), huddle in the tub (I never understood that one), or open the windows to decompress the house and stand in a doorway? Nope, we slept it off. Like many things, we had no control – the steering wheel had come loose, so we let go of the wheel. And awoke hours later still in bed with most of the house intact. The yard was a litter of chairs, seat cushions, and what remained of the canopy that was trashed in a storm a few weeks ago that I haven't had time to haul to the dump. Glad to say all three chickens made it though OK as well. My heart goes out to those not as fortunate that have damage to their homes, vehicles, other property, and anyone harmed during these treacherous natural events. Mother Nature can prove a torrential tempest or a serene sunset - both are equally astounding and beautiful in their own way. How we face the storms in our lives can determine the outcome. Taking a deep breath and letting things unfold is can be an option in some cases. When our heart is racing and our mind is trying to fight off every possible bad thing that could happen, connecting to our breath can bring thing back under control. Purposeful, controlled breathing reconnects the mind and body and allows space to be created for our emotions to expand and expire. Breathing a couple full inhales through the nose and releasing a couple full exhales through the mouth can create a moment of calm. In that moment we all have a choice - move forward into the calm or fall back into the crazy. Its very hard and most of us fall back into crazy more than we step into the calm. But I assure you, once in a while, there can be this incredible realization that what's happening around you or even too you doesn't matter. What we, the individual, does in response or reaction to what is happening around us or too us is all that matters. It's the only thing we can control, with our very breath we shape our reality. If you would like to learn more about how taking control of your breathing can help you take control of your life, check out our BREATHE class Sundays at 10 AM.