The Briar Philosopher - In the Wake.... (FREE ACCESS)

Just a little before midnight on Friday, May 16th, a tornado that had already hit Somerset, KY, and traveled 55 miles on the ground, found its way to London. It had cut a wide swath of destruction on its way, devastating parts of Somerset and the surrounding area, before heading cross-country to rip through London. The tornado was spawned by the same storm system that had spawned deadly tornadoes that caused so much destruction in St. Louis, Missouri, earlier that afternoon, and would also bring destruction to Virginia as it continued on its path. 

Those are the facts, but, as we all know, just the facts never tell the story. The story is a hard tell, even for those not directly affected. For those who lost so much, the story is a life-changing one and, in too many cases, a life-ending one. 

The Boy and I woke up safe and sound on Saturday morning. We had been visited by wind, lightning, and heavy rain. My first thought when I awoke was to wonder if the fruit trees made it through the wind. At that point, we had no idea what had occurred just down the road. 

Upon learning of the destruction that visited so many, we rapidly began checking on those we know who were in its path. To our great relief, our loved ones were all ok, having been missed by the worst of the storms. To our great sadness, so many other people had not had our great fortune. Seeing the path that the tornado cut through the countryside was astonishing. Seeing the devastation in Somerset and even more so in London caused chills down my spine.  I can’t imagine being in the path of such a powerful twister. Even the words “twister’ or “tornado” seem to minimize the event, but I know of no other words to use. One person, who was barely missed by the tornado’s path, said that she had heard before that a tornado sounded like a train, but to her it sounded angry, it sounded like death.  Though storms cannot indeed be angry, they can and, in this case, most certainly did bring death. Thirty-two people at the latest count passed from this world as a result of this single storm system. The number is still likely to climb as search and rescue teams are still on the job. 

I took a break for lunch and came back to finish writing this. Looking over it, it seems so dry and so devoid of the humanity involved in this tragedy. It seems that every word should be steeped in tears and that every sentence should be wrapped in sorrow. While it is true that they are, it doesn't really come across. For the most part, I am at a loss for words. The deep, heart-wrenching, gut-level reaction can’t really be described in things as small as words. But there is one thing that I do know. That feeling so many of us who were outside of the storm's path are feeling is in truth a sacred thing. What we are feeling is not just compassion, but empathy in the strongest sense of the word. It is that human characteristic that truly connects all of us to one another. It is the thing that had us sending supplies and workers to North Carolina following the destruction of Hurricane Helene. It is the feeling that we are joined with others in their suffering and the need to do something, anything possible, to alleviate their suffering. 

Empathy is how we have survived as a species for thousands upon thousands of years. Empathy and cooperation are the two things that will bring about the healing and rebuilding that must come. We cannot bring back those who lost their lives, nor can we replace the irreplaceable possessions so many lost. What we can do is try to mitigate the suffering of those who survive and help ease the burden of those who have lost loved ones.  A dear friend of mine, who is currently helping with the cleanup from the St. Louis tornado, has some good advice for those of us who want to help but have no idea how to do that. Here is what she has to say, “Recovery for the areas hit hardest by the recent storms will take a long time and consistent effort. I’m going to make a suggestion for locals who want to help (but don’t know where to start). Pick ONE. One family, one charity, one business, one animal, one project, one building, one street. Then, if needed, return to that as often as you can (without depleting yourself) to assist. If help is no longer needed, and you choose to do so, you can move on to the next project (or not). It’s the best way to see results, which in turn fuels motivation, rather than despair. It’s all so overwhelming. But yesterday we cleaned up just two yards. It felt like it took forever, but in the end, we had smiling families who looked around and saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Chaos reduced. Order restored in at least in one area of their lives. This is a time to build and nurture relationships.” 

She is correct, of course. It’s another way of rephrasing the old quote that has often been attributed to Teddy Roosevelt. “Do what you can with what you have, where you are.” That’s really all anybody can do. 

In the coming days, there will be more opportunities to help. Folks will be gathering supplies and sending links to donate money. Please be very careful who you donate money to. There is an official GoFundMe site for the city of London. This is the web address for that site: 

It is a legitimate site and can be trusted with your funds. Governor Andy Beshear has also announced that the Team Kentucky Fund is actively seeking donations. The money donated to this fund will go directly to families who need it. The first priority of this fund will be to help those who lost loved ones cover funeral expenses. This is the link to that fundraising site: https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/Finance/stormrelief/

You will also see instructions on how to mail a check to the fund. I am including those instructions below for those who may not have access to the internet. 

Above all, look out for one another. Let people know you are thinking of them and that you will do your best to do your part. Your part doesn’t have to be a large thing, though I know we all wish we could solve and heal every issue. It’s too big for any one person or organization, or even one government, to deal with. But together we can do amazing things.