True Power

Do you know what this is? I pass this little reminder of the power of nature pretty much every morning. Look closely. Do you know how much force it would have taken to wrap a piece of corrugated tin around a power line?

A WHOLE lot.

Look a little closer

On April 18 of 2008, a tornado formed in Copiah County and made its way north into southern Hinds County. When it crossed Lebanon Pinegrove Road, it took out several trees, some roofs, a barn and at least one brick mailbox. I’m thinking this tin came from the barn across the road, but there is really no telling. I just know that it had to take a considerable amount of force to wrap a piece of tin like a glove around two power lines at least 25 feet in the air.

Just think about it.

It looks a little like a large metal hand gripping the line. I know there are different weights of tin, and maybe this was really thin...but it doesn’t look like it.

I also find it interesting that it's bent back TOWARD the direction the tornado came from.

Like I said, I see this pretty much every morning. Sometimes I vary my route and don’t go this way into town, but every day that I do, I always look up at this. I find it a profound statement to mother nature’s fury. Her power. Her awesomeness (if that’s not a word, it should be). To think that the very air we breathe can become wind so strong it not only rips things apart, knocks things down and basically wreaks havoc, it can also place little momentoes to remind us we are only borrowing the space we take up on this earth.

It also serves as a reminder that we cannot control any aspect of nature, although mankind is constantly trying.

Ain’t happenin, folks. She’ll win every time.